Quote:
Originally Posted by AKQJ10
In WA, I was told by a nitty ex-cardroom owner that players (i.e. without a badge) are never supposed to touch another player's chips. She did allow that you might live on the edge and help a poor guy pick up his chips if he drops three racks on the floor.
Even in a less nitty room, if I want to color up stacks of red and someone else wants to rebuy, they won't let me take the cash and then buy green. We have to have a chiprunner bring the green. Then I can make change for their red, but even that is apparently a bit on the margins.
Galapagos Islands of poker!
This takes us away from manners and into the realm of practicality. There are plenty of valid reasons that have nothing to with being rude or polite why a player should never handle another player's chips.
That being said, I've been known to reach into another player's stack to post his big blind while he's been working on a plate of food next to him. In that instance my neighbor usually thanks me for the assist. I've also seen and would approve of helping a player who physically struggles with handling chips (e.g. arthritis).
As for not making change, that's a bit extreme, but I'm guessing it has something to do with chip dumping, collusion, or possibly even money laundering if you want to be that paranoid.