Switch
You may have seen it called the back to front. I call it the switch because that is what you are doing…switching the location of one or more poker chips. I don’t like the name back to front, because depending on how you look at it, you are also doing a front to back with other chips while doing a back to front. At first glance, this trick looks very similar to a few of the other tricks, but it is quite a different move.
Before you begin
Trick Difficulty - 2
Chips needed - 2 or more
Tutorial
Setup the trick by placing the chips in between your index and ring fingers in a perpendicular fashion. The middle finger is used as a backstop to prevent the chips from falling. Apply pressure to the chips with your index and ring fingers so that the chips do not fall over.
Using your thumb, roll the chip closest to your palm out onto the ring finger and then down to the pinky.
Once the chip is on your pinky it should only be held now by the thumb and pinky finger. At the same time, pull the pinky and thumb in towards your botton and kind of push out the other fingers, away from your body. This creates a seperation between the two chip holdings. Once you have enough seperation, move your three finger group (index, middle, and ring) in towards your palm.
You may actually think you are moving the thumb and pinky, but they are stationary in this part of the trick.
After you’ve moved these three fingers in towards your palm you should now have a clear shot to bring the chip and place it on the opposite end of where you took it from.
Bring the two chip holdings together. As you bring in the chip with your thumb and pinky, the edge should come in contact with your ring finger. Once this happens you can let go of the chip with your pinky. Simply roll the chip back up into place with your thumb.
Instead of simply moving one chip at a time, you can do more. See the Double video for an example.
This trick makes a good combination with the thumb flip. See the Combo video for an example.
Comment #10 by Ravi
July 1st, 2005 @ 2:46 AM
I have really small hands and trouble with this trick, although i find that if i use a small amount of chips (2 or 3) and place the stack in between my index and middle fingers (with no back to support the chips) and use my thumb and and ring finger to move the chip. (it only works well if the chips are slightly angled toward the palm)
Comment #9 by Aaron
June 26th, 2005 @ 6:43 PM
I have tried what Dan recommended and I’m starting with just 2 chips. I can do this rather easily, completing it about 75% of the time, but when I move up to 4 chips, I just can’t get the 3 chips to move far back enough to put the 1 chip in front of them.
Comment #8 by Chris
June 15th, 2005 @ 4:07 AM
any suggestions ?
Comment #7 by Chris
June 15th, 2005 @ 4:06 AM
I’m having troubles bringing the two original chips to a position where i can move the one chip back in place.
Comment #6 by Dan
January 8th, 2005 @ 10:57 PM
One think that I found helps is to start with only 2 chips and work your way up. Don’t try to start with 5 or something if you’re having trouble.
Comment #5 by Josh
January 4th, 2005 @ 1:19 AM
the only way i can do this trick is if, once i get the inside chip down between my thumb and pinky, i use my middle finger to push the other two chips a little to one side, giving me the angle i need to slide the bottom chip back up where it needs to go. if i don’t move them with my middle finger, the bottom chip always seems to come up right into them and get stuck.
Comment #4 by Max
January 3rd, 2005 @ 7:28 PM
Once the chips are seperated, i can’t move my chips toward my palm…
Comment #3 by Ray
January 3rd, 2005 @ 10:05 AM
Man, could the video for the back switch combo move a little faster? hehe Neat trick!
Comment #2 by Nick R.
January 3rd, 2005 @ 2:25 AM
wow, ive mastered all of the other tricks on this site excluding the butterfly, but for some reason i cant do this. once i have the chip between my pinky and thumb i just cant bring it out any further.
Comment #1 by Pat
January 2nd, 2005 @ 10:51 PM
nice trick, easy to do, its cool with a double thumb flip