What Is “Chip and a Chair” in Poker?

The phrase “chip and a chair” reflects the resilience required in tournament poker. A player may lose most of their chips during a difficult stretch, but as long as they still have at least one chip in front of them, they remain alive in the tournament.

For example, imagine a player with only one big blind left in a tournament. While the stack is extremely short, a single double-up can quickly rebuild momentum. Winning one all-in pot doubles the stack, and a few successful hands in succession can quickly transform a desperate situation into a competitive one.

Because tournament blinds and antes steadily increase, short stacks are common in the later stages of events. Players often remind themselves of the “chip and a chair” mindset to stay focused and patient even when their stack becomes dangerously low.

The phrase became widely known after an extraordinary comeback by poker player Jack Straus during a poker main event tournament in 1982.

At one point in the tournament, Straus believed he had lost all of his chips and stood up from the table. However, he later discovered that a single chip had been hidden under a napkin on the table. Because he still technically had chips remaining, he was allowed to continue playing.

From that single chip, Straus managed to rebuild his stack and eventually went on to win the entire tournament. The remarkable comeback gave birth to the phrase “chip and a chair,” which quickly became part of poker culture.

Today, the story is frequently referenced whenever a player stages a dramatic comeback after being left with only a small number of chips.