Domino Chip Sweep

The Evelyn Ng Domino Chip Sweep is one of the easiest poker chip tricks that you can learn. We learned how to do this chip trick from watching Evelyn Ng perform it during the 2004 WSOP. The following instructions describe the way we perform the trick and it seems to work just fine for us. It's difficult to view the precise finger placement that Evelyn Ng uses when holding the chip while doing the scoop up. You may need to experiment with how and where you hold the chip during the scoop up in order to find what works best for you.

Here's a quick overview of how way the Domino Chip Sweep works. While holding a single poker chip, you sweep your hand to the right allowing the chip to softly strike the stationary chips. Once your hand reaches the last chip in the line, you continue to move your hand several inches past the line of chips. Without pausing you then reverse direction and scoop the line of chips up like dominos in reverse, using the lone chip in your hand. Eventually this becomes one fluid, graceful movement.

Begin the chip trick by placing several poker chips in a row as shown below. I usually place down anywhere from 12-14 chips. Use less if you have small hands.

STEP 1

Place a poker chip between your thumb and index fingers as shown below. While holding the lone chip, quickly but softly drag it across the stationary chips moving from left to right.

STEP 2

After you've passed the last chip in the line with your hand, quickly push the chip you're holding to the back of your hand using your thumb as shown below. Do this while continuing to move your hand a few inches further to the right past the line of stationary chips. At this point you should be cradling the chip against your palm using your pinky and ring fingers. You can vary the position of the chip until it feels comfortable and you are able move it to the exact same position quickly. Moving the chip quickly into the correct position does take some practice. Basically you want to hold the chip with your pinky and rings fingers so that it is held snuggly against your palm and positioned so that it can act as a scoop when it strikes the first chip after you reverse direction with your hand.

STEP 3

With the chip held snuggly against your palm, keep your hand open as if you were holding a can of soda. Now move your hand to the left towards the line of chips as shown below. Allow the edge of the chip that you are holding to strike the base of the first stationary chip in the line. This should quickly lift the chip up, forcing it to stand upright against the chip in your palm.

STEP 4

Continue moving your hand to the left as shown below. The line of stationary chips should stand up like dominos as you scoop them into your hand.

STEP 5

After you've scooped up the last chip as shown below, continue moving your hand to the left a bit to finish the sweeping motion.

STEP 6

The Evelyn Ng Domino Chip Sweep should be performed on a soft surface. It's very difficult to lift up the first chip if you attempt to do this poker chip trick on a hard surface such as a kitchen table.

At first the trick will be slow and awkward. You want to eventually be able to perform the entire chip trick without pause. The entire trick should be performed in one seemingly fluid, graceful movement. Bring your hand across the tops of the chips, then immediately bring your hand back scooping the chips up. Good luck!