For the curious, from the WSOP 2012 live action rules:

It is your right to remain silent but imo its kind of a dick move to pull a tiffany michelle and not say anything, similar to how its a dick move to ask to see someones hand when they muck at showdown. I don't see what reasons someone would have to not give at least an estimate. The only ones I can think of is that the player is too lazy - which is poor etiquette or the player is afraid to give off some sort of tell when vocalizing their chip stack - which is pretty sad if you can't compose yourself to long enough to give a stack approximation

The debate on the right rule is played out, but to be clear, under NO circumstances should you say anything smart-ass or threatening to the dealer if he or she asks to count your stack. If the room's rules do not permit it, you can call the floor or ask the dealer nicely not to, but this sort of tough-guy posturing is very bd. The dealer is just trying to implement the rules.

Anyone who really talks crap to the dealer to stop a stack count should probably find something else to do.

I'm ok with smart-ass when it's light-hearted and intended to convey "please don't touch my chips" with flair. Threatening, not so much, though YTF's tale "the regular picked up a stack of chips and held it in his fist" was pretty entertaining and if the player wasn't actually going to do what he was posturing and was putting on a show, that counts as humorous and smart-assy rather than threatening.

This is not ok: http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/29...h-game-522847/ http://blog.pokerjunkie.com/wsop/thang-luu-is-a-jackass

"'Bout tree-fiddy."

A lot of people really dislike having to physically count out their chips exactly when asked. It's slow, it's a PITA, it may give off tells, and the exact count is almost never really necessary information; and as you move up in stakes, players don't really need or want exact counts very often. (The exception is usually when trying to determine if a player behind you has enough chips left to re-open the betting by raising allin.)
FWIW, in rooms where the dealer is allowed or required to make an exact count if the player declines, I don't generally see real problems arising from the dealer touching the player's stack, although I know a lot of players hate this.
Personally, I would be happy with requiring players only to provide a clear view, plus to answer questions about how many bills (if cash plays), or large-denomination chips they have, and keeping the dealer (and other players) out of it.
That should be enough, IMO; players need to take some responsibility for ascertaining others' stack sizes; and I don't think live poker needs to try to copy the internet game.

+1. online poker started out as a simulation of live poker. In online poker there is no alternative to figuring out how much is in a player's chip stack other than to display the amount at all times. That restriction does not apply in B&M games.