Knuckle Roll
I first saw Dutch Boyd perform this trick during the 2003 World Series of Poker. You may have also seen this trick on “The Nuts” during the 2004 WSOP, where Antonio Esfandiari was doing it extremely fast with both hands at the same time. This trick can be tough to learn, but it always looks cool. When the knuckle roll is done fast enough, the chip looks like it floats over the fingers.
Before you begin
Trick Difficulty - 3
Chips needed - 1
Tutorial
Start the trick with the chip laying flat up against the side of the index finger and your thumb holding it there, slightly behind the 2nd knuckle.
With your thumb, push the chip up and onto the top of the index finger. Raise the middle finger up and over the edge of the chip. Lower the middle finger, pulling the chip down with it. The chip will lodge itself between the index and middle fingers so that it is standing straight up. Continue to lower the middle finger, allowing the chip to flip onto the top of this finger.
Repeat the process with the next finger. Raise the ring finger up and over the edge of the chip. Lower the ring finger, pulling the chip down with it. The chip will lodge itself between the middle and ring fingers so that it is standing straight up. Continue to lower the ring ringer, allowing the chip to flip onto the top of the ring finger.
Continue in the same fashion by raising the pinky up and over the edge of the chip. Lower the pinky, pulling the chip down with it.
At this point you have options. You can allow the chip to lodge itself between the ring and pinky fingers so that it is standing straight up. If you do this, you’ll then want to reverse the entire process to roll the chip back to where it started.
You can also let the chip drop down between the ring finger and pinky, catching it with your thumb. When you catch the chip, you want to have the flat part of the chip laying on your thumb. Balance the chip on the thumb and bring it back underneath all of the fingers. Raise the chip up against the index finger, where the trick can be repeated over and over again.
The knuckle roll is a nice trick to learn because it can be done in a long loop, always returning the chip back to where it started so that the trick can continue.
Comment #30 by Rob
July 27th, 2005 @ 2:57 PM
I saw a show last night with this trick in it and it amazed me so since then ive been hooked on trying to get it perfect.Ive been practising this all day and i find it really easy to do with coins than chips. IM EVEN DOING IT RIGHT NOW!
Comment #29 by Dakota
July 26th, 2005 @ 11:13 PM
This trick is great and easy to do.By the time i read through the whole thing.I was ready to go.
Comment #28 by Blair
July 20th, 2005 @ 6:00 PM
when i first started trying this trick, i was trying to do it fast (like on tv). however, after a while, i figured out that if (when you are learning it) you do it slowly, it is much easier. well, at least for me.
Comment #27 by jeff
July 7th, 2005 @ 4:59 AM
i need some talc or something, my hands are kinda clammy
Comment #26 by joshmo
July 7th, 2005 @ 4:57 AM
I saw good ol Val do it years ago in Real Genius. I tried it back then, but I had poor dexterity by comparison, and I couldn’t do it very well.
You guys say you can do it so well so quickly I don’t think you have the idea. You shouldn’t have your hand moving except the fingers and it should be smooth, quick and fluid. It doesn’t take terribly long to get it rolling across, but to make it look good takes much longer, especially if you’re new to chip tricks or you aren’t a surgeon or pianist or something.
Comment #25 by Jason
December 16th, 2004 @ 4:20 AM
the only way i can do it is on my finger tips
Comment #24 by john
December 15th, 2004 @ 3:50 PM
i got this trick pretty easy. First try i got it half way then i watched what i did wrong and second try it came natural to me
Comment #23 by Justin
December 7th, 2004 @ 7:18 PM
ok this isnt a lvl 3 trick. i got it in 5 tries!! and add the Johhny Chan trick plz that looks cool!
Comment #22 by Matt Taylor
November 29th, 2004 @ 8:13 PM
One thing I don’t get is why this is on level 3 and the bounce trick is one level two. It took me no time to learn this and hours to learn the bounce trick.
Comment #21 by Odinski
November 24th, 2004 @ 6:43 PM
I’ve been working on this one for about 2 days now, and I have it down with a quarter. The real question is, will it transfer well to a chip?
Awesome site! I’m going to start on the other tricks over Thanksgiving break. This one has intruiged me since I saw Kilmer do it on both fingers in “Real Genius”