How to Perform the Knuckle Roll Poker Chip Trick

This knuckle roll is, without a doubt, one of the most difficult poker chip tricks to master. The mechanics of the trick itself are actually quite simple. Its just that it takes a large number of hours practicing this trick in order to get the movements refined to the point that everything rolls fluidly. When perfected, the Knuckle Roll is rolled down the knuckles in a way that resembles cascading down water. When the chip reaches the end of your hand (the pinky finger), it reappears at the thumb and rolls again. Because it takes so many hours to master this trick, you can assume that anyone doing it well has spent a good many hours at the card table.

Things You'll Need

• One Poker Chip
• Many Hours to Practice

Instructions

How to Perform the Knuckle Roll Poker Chip Trick

1. Start the Knuckle Roll by using your thumb to hold the poker chip against the outside edge of your index finger. The proper place is just behind the second (middle) knuckle, with about half the chip lifted above the finger.

2. Use your thumb to push the chip over, with the end result being that the chip is laying flat on top of your index finger. Since the chip will have to leave contact with your thumb and sort of free-fall for the last part of the way, you will just have to trust that it will land in place. If not, it’s not big deal – that’s what practice is for. It should really not be too difficult to get the chip to fall into position almost every time.

3. Lift your middle finger so that the inside left edge of your middle finger can press down on the poker chip. This should allow you to raise the chip into a standing position, held between your index finger and middle finger. Continue moving your middle finger down, and the chip will fall so that it now lays flat on the middle finger. Laying flat is the key to this trick, because if the poker chip is not laying flat, then your next finger has to extend too far in order to grab the edge of the chip.

4. Continue this process on the next finger, so that the chip reaches its final resting position on top of your ring finger. It’s the same process as before. Raise your ring finger a little and grab the top edge of the chip while it is laying flat on the middle finger. Pull down and the chip will stand between the two fingers. Pull down a little more and it will lay on top of the ring finger, near the end of the line.

5. Make the poker chip disappear into the palm of your hand. Start by lifting your pinky slightly, just as you did with all of the other fingers. Only when you press down on the edge of the chip, instead of allowing it to stand, just let it drop through. When the chip gets passed to your thumb, hidden from view by the other fingers, you can simply move the chip back to its original starting position, at the outside edge of the index finger, and perform the trick again. You can keep the chip rolling through your knuckles for an indefinite period of time.

Tips & Warnings

• Don’t get discouraged if you have difficulty with this trick. Pretty much everyone has a hard time with this one, even though it seems like it should be so simple. Just keep practicing and you will see your knuckle roll improve over time.

Resources

• Knuckle Roll Instructional Video