Poker Basics - Chip Dumping

Our Poker Basics series now looks at the things you should NEVER do in poker, starting with the sin of chip dumping.

In our Poker Basics series we try to explain important concepts to introduce into your game. It's also important to know what not to do, so the next articles in the series focus on rule breaking and breaches of etiquette. 

Chip Dumping is losing to another player on purpose. A common way a player might chip dump is to raise a very large amount, then fold to a very small, pot committing reraise, so that the other player can take down the pot uncontested. 

It is a form of collusion, which is when two or more players at the table conspire together. It is a blatant form of cheating, should not be done and will get you banned from the poker room. 

Why do people chip dump?

There are lots of reasons why some people chip dump, sometimes it is to give a chip advantage to a friend. A player may chip dump to a friend at the table to keep them alive in the tournament, for example. 

Chip dumping has also previously been done as a way to exploit bonus offers at a poker room. These promotions require you to put in a lot of volume at the tables, but when you chip dump you simply move the money back and forth, without risking it. 

Some people chip dump in heads-up games which might sound innocent, given there is no third player being cheated against, but this is often for the most sinister reason of all - money laundering. Here chip dumping is a way to transfer money from one player to another while avoiding the usual checks and balances. Most sites have an internal player to player transfer system which you should use instead. 

Not only is chip dumping a form of cheating it is also very easy to detect. It will get you banned from playing and your funds confiscated, so don't do it. 

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