Article updated on 4 February 2025
There are many sayings and expressions that are unique to the poker table.
One of those is something like: “All you need is a chip and a chair.”
The poker term “chip and a chair” refers to the idea that a poker player can still go on to win an entire poker tournament, even if down to just a single chip. Indeed, this scenario happens occasionally, including the real-life story that inspired the expression (more on that below).
Think of this as similar to the saying, "It's not over until it's over." If you have at least one chip left, you're still in the running to win the entire tournament.
Keep reading to learn more about this popular poker phrase.
In this guide, we’ll learn the following –
- Where Did the Term Chip and Chair Originate?
- How Likely Is It to Win a Poker Tournament with One Chip Left?
Where Did the Term Chip and Chair Originate?
Like some of today’s popular poker expressions, “chip and chair” originated on one of the poker game’s biggest stages – the World Series of Poker (WSOP) $10,000 Main Event.
The "chip and chair" expression started with poker player Jack "Treetop" Straus in 1982. As the nickname implies, Straus has a towering 6-foot, 6-inch frame with a thick, grizzled beard. In that year's main event, things looked grim when he moved all-in and lost on the tournament's second day.
What followed would lead to one of the biggest comeback stories in World Series history.
“Someone bet and Jack moved all his chips in, raising the original bettor,” poker legend Doyle Brunson said later. “He didn't say ‘all in.’
After Jack lost the hand, he got up to leave, and there was a $500 chip under a newspaper." A floorman reviewed the scenario and ruled that Straus was allowed to stay in the tournament since he did not announce "all in", and his opponent only called his original bet.
Still, a single chip was hardly much to work with – the blinds were already at 400/800, and more than one hundred players remained.
“He sat back down and then won the tournament,” Brunson noted.
Straus went on a tear, turning that lone chip into a seat at the final table that included an impressive collection of the following poker greats:
- Sailor Roberts (WSOP Main Event Champion 1975)
- Berry Johnston (over $3 million in lifetime winnings, Main Event Champion 1985, five WSOP bracelets)
- Dewey Tomko (over $3.5 million in lifetime winnings, three WSOP bracelets)
- Doyle Brunson (10 WSOP bracelets, over $5.5 million in lifetime winnings)
Johnston, Tomko, and Brunson would all become members of the Poker Hall of Fame. With Straus as chip leader, he became a stack-building machine, eliminating seven of the nine players at the table.
When the dust cleared, Tomko found himself with the unenviable task of taking on the Texan heads-up with an enormous chip disadvantage.
Straus scored the victory for $520,000 and his second WSOP bracelet (his first came in 1973). He was posthumously inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 1988 after his death at age 58.
Treetop Straus proved that you only need a chip and a chair, and you can bin that poker cheat sheet!
How Likely to Win a Poker Tournament with One Chip?
Just because Straus won the Main Event after being left with a single chip doesn’t mean getting that short can bring success. It depends on the exact situation, but most players will not recover from having a single remaining chip, mainly due to poker variance.
Even if a player doubled up several times, they would still be hopelessly short-stacked. However, players routinely find themselves with less than 10bb remaining and win the entire tournament. So, there is some truth to the poker expression “a chip and a chair.”
The saying also shines a light on the importance of short-stack play. This time is crucial in the tournament, especially if rebuys or re-entries aren't allowed.
When low on chips, it’s essential to realise how critical the situation is. Many players consider less than 30 big blinds to be a short stack, but 10 blinds or lower is even more dire. Players are still in a “chip and a chair” predicament.
There are a few things to keep in mind in this situation:
Play more conservatively –
Choose your hands wisely and be willing to fold. Smaller and middle pocket pairs may not be worth playing.
Less limping –
Calling bets simply to see flops can be costly to your stack.
Avoid blind stealing –
This play can send you to the rail instead of waiting for better hands.
Reduce your starting hand range –
Limit the poker hands you are willing to play, favouring more solid holdings.
Be ready to ship it in –
In these types of situations, players with solid hands may want to move all-in and hope for a double-up to get back in the tournament.
Don’t necessarily defend your blinds –
Fighting for blinds can cost valuable chips and drain away your chip stack. Instead, wait for better hands.
Position becomes less crucial –
Seek out better hands to make your move.
It’s essential to remember that when you do have solid holdings, play aggressively. Accumulating chips will keep you in the tournament by growing your stack.
Using ‘Chip and a Chair’ in a Sentence
Now that you know the history behind the phrase and how it could apply to a short stack, you may wonder how you might hear it at the tables.
Here’s a quick look at a few examples:
- “All you need is a chip and a chair in this poker tournament.”
- “You may not have a lot of chips, but all you need is a chip and a chair.”
- “Jack Straus literally just had a chip and a chair and went on to win the 1982 World Series of Poker Main Event.”
Summary of ‘A Chip and a Chair’
Jack Strauss' example shows us that as long as we have a chip left (and hence a chair), we can potentially take down the entire tournament.
This phrase can serve as motivation when players get on a short stack.
Play wisely when your chip stack is down, and a big comeback may be in your future.
Originally published on 5 April 2021
