Aggressiveness: 5
Looseness: 4
Short-handed: 7
Limit: 8
No-limit: 7
Tournaments: 6
Side games: 9
Steam control: 9
Against weak players: 7
Against strong players: 8
Best game: Often considered the best all around player in the world
Weakness: Good at all facets of high stakes poker
I consider Chip to be the Jack Nicklaus of poker. He took on all comers for 30 years and won the most money. If an opponent is struggling, Chip will stay and gamble with him and make a big score. If Chip isn’t doing well, he will minimize his losses and may even put his ego aside and quit and wait for another day.
His skill and control make him the prototype successful big-limit player.
Amusing anecdote
Before I played in the biggest games with Chip, I used to stop by the game and take a look at who was playing. I wanted to play, but it would have taken my entire bankroll. Chip would always try to entice any potential players into playing in the game. He was the king of the hill.
He used to say to me in his somewhat patronizing way that we now teasingly call Chip-talk, “Buddy, we’ve got the perfect game for you. We’re playing all of your best games. I can’t believe you’re not gonna take a shot.”
Title: Desert Rose
Artist: Sting
Year: 1999
Reason for this song choice
I chose this because Chip is one of the greatest players of all time and resides in the desert (Las Vegas). Also, he resembles Sting with his blond slightly balding hair. I almost chose Smooth by Carlos Santana because Chip is such a smooth talker, but the lyrics didn’t fit. Another possibility was Candyman from Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory because Chip likes candy, but I decided no one would get the inside joke.