While the uninitiated might think of poker as just “playing cards,” for many it is a game of warfare that demands strategic thinking. Some tomes discuss optimal strategies, but few address chip usage. A new trend in tournament poker is sparking discussion, to the point that it could come up at the 2026 meeting of tournament poker directors.
Matt Savage Weighs In
On his personal Facebook page, World Poker Tour Executive Tournament Director Matt Savage weighed in on the question of the “one chip back” strategy. Noting that in the most recent WPT event at bestbet Jacksonville there were two instances where a ruling was rendered on the act, Savage said that “leaving one chip behind is becoming more common and creating confusion, angles, and floor calls.” Savage weighs the issue from both sides in his discussion.
He cites the strategic reasons for making such moves. “Strategic reasons include stalling for pay jumps; the big blind ante offers potential for a chance to rebuild; and getting (opposing) players to make mistakes and exposing cards,” Savage states, while allowing for other potential reasons he had not considered. In pointing out these strategic options, however, Savage also shows where tournament directors are getting it wrong.
“Some operators assess penalties to players that don’t see the single chip and expose cards with action pending,” Savage says. “This is wrong. Some operators think leaving one chip behind shouldn’t be allowed, and the player should be all-in… This is also wrong. Some operators will not allow players to burn their time bank chips when clocks are in play, which I feel is incorrect.”
“I don’t think leaving one chip behind can be done away with, but I also know it causes confusion, dealer and player errors, and inaccurate floor calls,” Savage concludes.
Players Respond on Both Sides
There were more than three hundred replies to Savage’s Facebook post, and the predominance of the replies favored that it was a strategic move and to leave it alone. “Deception is a part of poker,” stated veteran poker professional Dan Heimiller. “Do you really want to go down a list of things a dimwitted player and/or dealer doesn’t see every hand? Should we do away with check-raising because it’s misleading?”
Another pro, Katie Porello, noted that the players were already adjusting to such changes. “During the NAPT (Porello made a deep run in the Main Event), an ‘effective all-in’ was used. A player was allowed five seconds (and) they were effectively all-in. No time banks were allowed. You know what happened? Instead of leaving one chip behind, they left ten. It’s a strategy.”
Former World Champion Greg Raymer piped in on the idea. “It’s a valid strategy. The TDA should implement no rule changes to deal with the issue.” Always considering all sides of the issue, Raymer then pointed out that it is either dealer error or player error that allows such situations to occur. Raymer (and others) pointed out that if a “one chip back” rule were enacted, players would adjust by leaving five or ten back to work around any rules.
Of course, there is a historical aspect to the “one chip” situation. In the 1982 World Series of Poker $10,000 Championship Event (now called the “Main Event”), noted rounder Jack ‘Treetop’ Strauss was thought to be all-in on a hand and beaten. As Strauss walked away from the table, it was found that he had one chip remaining that had been lodged under the rail. Strauss would come back to the table and turn that singular chip into a mountain of all the chips, stunningly winning the 1982 World Championship and creating the poker axiom of “a chip and a chair.”
Savage has stated that this will be discussed during the TDA Summit in 2026. While it may not set any rules regarding player conduct, there may be changes to dealer and floor conduct in such situations. For instance, instead of reprimanding a player for not seeing a single chip kept back and exposing their cards, concessions may be made not to mete out punishments for their actions. It is a situation that all poker players, especially tournament players, should keep in mind when in action.
The post Debate Begins Over “One Chip Back” Strategy appeared first on Poker News Daily.
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