Missing Chips?? (2 Viewers)

[JustinInMN]

Didn’t read that part. Wow ok.
What would you do if the count was off by $25 next game? Meaning someone brought them back and tried to double cash?

Yes, this would be my concern.

On Sunday I was cleaning up and racking up some stacks left on the table. After I finished racking all the chips I noticed 5 $5 chips missing. All of the buyins and cash outs lined up at the end of the night.

So the lesson here is don't leave stacks on the table after cash out. Once chips are paid, they should be moved away from player seats. Either straight back to the bank or consolidated into a space near the dealers' seat where they can be observed easily until the house is empty.

Again, if anything nefarious is happening, I think it's on the lines of what @foreverdev mentioned above. However, I believe it's more likely the count of chips was somehow off at the start and they will turn up one way or another.

All that said, sometimes good procedure isn't just about thwarting bad actions, it's about peace of mind.

 

[Jers28]

I’ve only had something like this happen one time. 3 chips went missing. I thought I’d turned the house upside down that night looking, as I didn’t have extras and my OCD was wigging out. The actual value was very low, it just drove me nuts. They turned up a few days later. Two were in a bathroom drawer and the third was somehow missed in the back of a table drop box. How either situation happened is speculation, but it wasn’t nefarious. I bet they show up and in a weird ass place. The bathroom drawer, for example…looking for tp or something and dropped chips? Why did they leave the table? I do have one semi reg that’s a hard core stoner, so that’d be my odds on favorite for the bathroom chips. lol

 

[Gunnar]

Did someone tip the house ?

 

[Tonysquander]

Did you have an actual count of your total chips like that and is that count off by five chips? Not just the ones you pulled out for that night but the total of those specific chips you had on hand and what you have now—just in case maybe you misplaced them and forgot about it. Sometimes after a long night of gambling people do things and just don’t remember them.

 

[Felt_Lizard]

Player, I hope they turn up soon.

 

[Tonysquander]

And by people, I mean me. Hell on Saturday night I put a $30 cash rebuy for the tournament on a kitchen counter while getting chips and forgot all about it. Usually it goes right with the other money, but for who knows what reason I set it down instead. I was even wondering why my total cash was one buy in short and had already replaced it with my own money until one of the players said, whose money is this?

 

[RocAFella1]

Did you have an actual count of your total chips like that and is that count off by five chips? Not just the ones you pulled out for that night but the total of those specific chips you had on hand and what you have now—just in case maybe you misplaced them and forgot about it. Sometimes after a long night of gambling people do things and just don’t remember them.

Depends on the level of set but I would assume most sets have a fixed amount, like 2 racks of $1s and 4 racks of $5s. Pretty noticeable when racks aren't full after racking everything up.

I've had this happen once, when a reg brought his visiting friend. 2 $1 chips went missing, 20th Century $1s, and after we had discussed how much higher end chips are worth. I did give him the benefit of the doubt and simply texted everyone nicely if they might've misplaced or accidentally taken the chips. The reg texted back right after and said that the friend had accidentally put the chips into his cigarette pack, which I do honestly believe since he was fairly drunk having downed a 12 pack or more of IPAs.

 

[Tonysquander]

Depends on the level of set but I would assume most sets have a fixed amount, like 2 racks of $1s and 4 racks of $5s. Pretty noticeable when racks aren't full after racking everything up.

I've had this happen once, when a reg brought his visiting friend. 2 $1 chips went missing, 20th Century $1s, and after we had discussed how much higher end chips are worth. I did give him the benefit of the doubt and simply texted everyone nicely if they might've misplaced or accidentally taken the chips. The reg texted back and said that the friend had accidentally put the chips into his cigarette pack, which I do honestly believe since he was fairly drunk having downed a 12 pack or more of IPAs.

Yeah, that’s why I was asking, if the total total is off then that narrows down what may have happened.

 

[MeridianFC]

Just want to confirm that when you cash people out, you took their chips and then the chips were moved away. You make it sound like the chips were left on the table? In any case you said people were drinking did anybody bump into the table at any point. I’ve been shocked by how far away and where I found chips when this has happened. I just found one chip from my TRK sample set in the box where those stupid plastic chips I’m giving away are. I have no idea how the hell that happened.

As an aside, this is the reason I personally would never order exactly the number of chips I think I need for a game. I would have to have backups of every denom. I say this as somebody who is the proud owner of exactly 197 custom BCC $5 chips.

 

[ChippinUp]

Depends on the level of set but I would assume most sets have a fixed amount, like 2 racks of $1s and 4 racks of $5s. Pretty noticeable when racks aren't full after racking everything up.

I've had this happen once, when a reg brought his visiting friend. 2 $1 chips went missing, 20th Century $1s, and after we had discussed how much higher end chips are worth. I did give him the benefit of the doubt and simply texted everyone nicely if they might've misplaced or accidentally taken the chips. The reg texted back right after and said that the friend had accidentally put the chips into his cigarette pack, which I do honestly believe since he was fairly drunk having downed a 12 pack or more of IPAs.

That’s correct. I had literally just finished building this set and racked up 3 racks of $1’s, 5 racks for $5’s, 1 rack of $25 and a barrel of $100’s. After racking everything up I have the same count minus 5 $5 chips

When the game ended I didn’t collect all stacks after cashing out. It was 5am…but next time I will collect each stack individually and then payout. Repeat repeat repeat….

 

[ChippinUp]

Just want to confirm that when you cash people out, you took their chips and then the chips were moved away. You make it sound like the chips were left on the table? In any case you said people were drinking did anybody bump into the table at any point. I’ve been shocked by how far away and where I found chips when this has happened. I just found one chip from my TRK sample set in the box where those stupid plastic chips I’m giving away are. I have no idea how the hell that happened.

As an aside, this is the reason I personally would never order exactly the number of chips I think I need for a game. I would have to have backups of every denom. I say this as somebody who is the proud owner of exactly 197 custom BCC $5 chips.

Yes apparently the mistake I made was leaving the chips in front of players, after I counted their stacks myself and cashed them out. Moving forward I’ll cash one by one removing the stacks.

I am almost finished renovating my poker room and at the moment it’s virtually empty with the exception of the table, rug and chairs. I had a temp foldable table and a mini fridge out. So there isn’t many places for the chips to hide if they fell.

The mystery continues

 

[Jimulacrum]

Yeah but what's the value of relabeled solid reds? A buck apiece?

This is the part I wasn't really sure about. My knowledge of chip values is pretty sparse, so I didn't know if the Flamingos OP mentioned were something high-priced or not. Apparently we're leaning not, so likely not theft for material gain.

Even so, he could have stolen because he wanted the shiny thing, or because he because he could, or as you suggest, someone else could have done it to set up trouble. Or a reg could have done it because he just wanted to steal and saw an opportunity that night for the suspicion to land elsewhere. The motive doesn't always have to make sense to a non-thief. That said, stealing five $5 chips that are worth about $5 total, in a social situation where it's likely to make a mess, would be a very strange choice of theft.

OP, how confident are you in your pre- and post-game chip counts? I'm entertaining the idea of theft, but I'm a gambling man, and I wouldn't bet on it here.

Did anything odd happen during the game that involved $25 or a related quantity ($50, $75, or $100, say)? Anyone in your crew who's a prankster? I'd want to exhaust everything before narrowing it down to theft as the likely answer.

 

[Machine]

Well no one takes 5 $5 as a souvenir or shuffle stack.

You should always move dead money to the side or put them inrack as soon as they’re cashed out

 

[ChippinUp]

This is the part I wasn't really sure about. My knowledge of chip values is pretty sparse, so I didn't know if the Flamingos OP mentioned were something high-priced or not. Apparently we're leaning not, so likely not theft for material gain.

Even so, he could have stolen because he wanted the shiny thing, or because he because he could, or as you suggest, someone else could have done it to set up trouble. Or a reg could have done it because he just wanted to steal and saw an opportunity that night for the suspicion to land elsewhere. The motive doesn't always have to make sense to a non-thief. That said, stealing five $5 chips that are worth about $5 total, in a social situation where it's likely to make a mess, would be a very strange choice of theft.

OP, how confident are you in your pre- and post-game chip counts? I'm entertaining the idea of theft, but I'm a gambling man, and I wouldn't bet on it here.

Did anything odd happen during the game that involved $25 or a related quantity ($50, $75, or $100, say)? Anyone in your crew who's a prankster? I'd want to exhaust everything before narrowing it down to theft as the likely answer.

I mean they aren’t valuable but certainly worth more than a $1 a piece. They aren’t bike tires….

Nothing odd really sticks to me throughout the game. There was an incident where a stack was knocked over. I’ve since checked all over the floor, under the table, chairs and carpet under the table.

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

I mean they aren’t valuable but certainly worth more than a $1 a piece. They aren’t bike tires….

Nothing odd really sticks to me throughout the game. There was an incident where a stack was knocked over. I’ve since checked all over the floor, under the table, chairs and carpet under the table.

They're worth $25, and if someone took them they know that. I'm not worried about them eBaying it, just watch your bank and know how many $5s you have out!

 

[ChippinUp]

Looks like we have a winner….well kinda

@ekricket mentioned 21 chips in a barrel.

That got me to thinking what if I started with 19 chips in a barrel in one rack. I did a full count of my chips including the chips not in the racks last game. The total count on the $5’s is correct. The only thing I can assume is we started short 5 chips. So basically it’s all on me. Still leaves me with a few questions but eliminates any chances they went for a walk with someone.

Thanks everyone

 

[Tonysquander]

Looks like we have a winner….well kinda

@ekricket mentioned 21 chips in a barrel.

That got me to thinking what if I started with 19 chips in a barrel in one rack. I did a full count of my chips including the chips not in the racks last game. The total count on the $5’s is correct. The only thing I can assume is we started short 5 chips. So basically it’s all on me. Still leaves me with a few questions but eliminates any chances they went for a walk with someone.

Thanks everyone

 

[chippitydoodah]

So now we need to put the torches & pitchforks away? What a let down.

 

[Tonysquander]

So now we need to put the torches & pitchforks away? What a let down.

That new guy has no idea how close he was to getting thrown in the river to see if he floated or sank…

 

[ChippinUp]

That new guy has no idea how close he was to getting thrown in the river to see if he floated or sank…

Poor new guys always get the short end….

 

[ekricket]

Looks like we have a winner….well kinda

@ekricket mentioned 21 chips in a barrel.

That got me to thinking what if I started with 19 chips in a barrel in one rack. I did a full count of my chips including the chips not in the racks last game. The total count on the $5’s is correct. The only thing I can assume is we started short 5 chips. So basically it’s all on me. Still leaves me with a few questions but eliminates any chances they went for a walk with someone.

Thanks everyone

Haha I dealt in older Paulsons for a long time and ran across this frequently. One of the players would usually help out at nights end and fill racks as full as possible, and one or two denominations would be short “6” chips (by their count) to fill the last rack.

 

[Flopalopagus]

Looks like we have a winner….well kinda

@ekricket mentioned 21 chips in a barrel.

That got me to thinking what if I started with 19 chips in a barrel in one rack. I did a full count of my chips including the chips not in the racks last game. The total count on the $5’s is correct. The only thing I can assume is we started short 5 chips. So basically it’s all on me. Still leaves me with a few questions but eliminates any chances they went for a walk with someone.

Thanks everyone

YES! Congrats! Always a big relief!

 

[Jimulacrum]

Looks like we have a winner….well kinda

@ekricket mentioned 21 chips in a barrel.

That got me to thinking what if I started with 19 chips in a barrel in one rack. I did a full count of my chips including the chips not in the racks last game. The total count on the $5’s is correct. The only thing I can assume is we started short 5 chips. So basically it’s all on me. Still leaves me with a few questions but eliminates any chances they went for a walk with someone.

Thanks everyone

I'm okay with this outcome.

 

[merkong]

Looks like we have a winner….well kinda

@ekricket mentioned 21 chips in a barrel.

That got me to thinking what if I started with 19 chips in a barrel in one rack. I did a full count of my chips including the chips not in the racks last game. The total count on the $5’s is correct. The only thing I can assume is we started short 5 chips. So basically it’s all on me. Still leaves me with a few questions but eliminates any chances they went for a walk with someone.

Thanks everyone

Banker doesn’t count stacks during the cash in?

Pitchforks readied!

 

[ChippinUp]

Banker doesn’t count stacks during the cash in?

Pitchforks readied!

I think the issue was I started with 5 racks of 5’s but it’s possible the short rack wasn’t used during the initial buy in. Not all the 5’s were put in play that night.

However I look at it I need to clean up my banking procedures and it’s certainly on me. Prepare the pitchforks…..

 

[chippitydoodah]

I think the issue was I started with 5 racks of 5’s but it’s possible the short rack wasn’t used during the initial buy in. Not all the 5’s were put in play that night.

However I look at it I need to clean up my banking procedures and it’s certainly on me. Prepare the pitchforks…..

 

[merkong]

I think the issue was I started with 5 racks of 5’s but it’s possible the short rack wasn’t used during the initial buy in. Not all the 5’s were put in play that night.

However I look at it I need to clean up my banking procedures and it’s certainly on me. Prepare the pitchforks…..

I’ve got “19 rackers” as well. I’m sure you do counts on chip in so FWIW I was teasing.

Hate the 19 rackers.

Angry Mob, stand down.
Repeat, Angry Mob stand down.

 

[Huskerchipper]

I think the issue was I started with 5 racks of 5’s but it’s possible the short rack wasn’t used during the initial buy in. Not all the 5’s were put in play that night.

However I look at it I need to clean up my banking procedures and it’s certainly on me. Prepare the pitchforks…..

Well thats one way to learn a lesson before it ended up biting you in the ass!!! This is a good reminder to all of us for having good cash out protocols.