Urban Myths In Poker

An urban myth is a story that may have some basis in fact, but has usually been exaggerated to a status where it reaches the stuff of legend. Although the stories tend to be highly fictionalized, numerous people will attest that they are true and that they heard the story from a “reputable” source. Poker has its share of urban myths – especially regarding rigged Texas holdem sites – but some myths are older than that.

A Chip and a Chair

Any Texas holdem poker player getting close to the felt or anyone sympathizing with him will proudly announce, "Chip and a chair!" To indicate the fact that this is all you need to win a tournament (that and a tremendous amount of luck). This saying is said to have come from the fact that Jack “Treetop” Strauss, a legendary gambler, pushed his chips in during the 1982 World Series of Poker main event and lost. He got up to leave the table when he discovered one more chip under a napkin. Since he didn’t actually say “all-in,” the chip was in play and he was still alive. Strauss put the chip in and won the next hand and the hand after that. He kept on winning and by the end, found himself with all the chips as the champion of the WSOP.

This story is true. However, the chip and a chair expression originates from another miraculous Strauss event. Years earlier, Strauss was having a bad run and was one green chip away from being flat broke. He bet it on a hand of blackjack and won. He let it ride and won again. He kept going until he reached $400. He headed to the poker tables, sat down and promptly turned that $400 into $1,000, leaving before the odds could catch up with him. Now holding a small fortune, he figured he couldn’t just stop, eventually putting the chips back on blackjack. He promptly doubled up twice, headed back to poker and tripled his money again. He then went back to blackjack and continued his winning streak. By the time, he was done with blackjack, poker and even sports betting, Strauss’ chip and a chair had turned into $25,000 and new life.

This story makes me want to take a shot with my limited online Texas holdem bankroll, but maybe it’s just another myth.