First of all, count me on the side of this being an angle, an opinion that was greatly solidified by Soulwaxical's GIF.
That in mind, I must now ask a really, really dumb question... so dumb that I hereby apologize in advance for asking it. However, I don't have enough live experience to know the answer:
That the larger denomination chips should be out front or on top of the stacks is an actual, explicit rule in tournament play [Specifically, Rule 24(a) of the PokerTDA Rules]. That much we all know.
However, in a cash game, is it still a rule or is it merely etiquette?
Of course, many card rooms have posted rules, so I would imagine a big-chips-out-front rule is explicitly stated on many of such postings. But could this vary from room to room? And if so, was this episode of PNIA in a location that had no such rule, giving Torelli just enough latitude — even if it's in his own mind — to attempt such an angle?
I went looking for different card room's poker rules online. Tourney rules are easy to locate, and all of them state this rule outright in some way. But cash-game rules were harder to find than I thought they would be. I did locate the following:
Borgata:
https://www.theborgata.com/assets/we...ide/index.html (explicit rule)
Mohegan Sun:
https://mohegansunpocono.com/content...oker_Guide.pdf (not explicit but heavily implied)
EPT Cash Games:
http://www.europeanpokertour.com/poker/cash-games/ (no mention)
San Manuel:
https://www.sanmanuel.com/flipbook/p...les/page/10-11 (explicit rule)
Cache Creek:
https://www.cachecreek.com/gaming/ta...es/poker-room/ (no mention, albeit in a very small "Poker Room Rules" section)
Seneca:
http://www.senecagames.com/senecapoker-room-rules.html (no mention)
River Rock Casino:
http://www.riverrock.com/casino/poker/poker-rules/ (no mention, although the page admits that it only contains a partial list)
Great Northern Casino:
http://www.greatnortherncasino.net/P...se%20Rules.pdf (explicit rule)
Olympic Park:
http://www.olympic-casino.ee/poker/i...ker_club_rules (explicit rule)
So from this limited sample of rooms, many of which are pretty obscure, it's hit-or-miss as to whether the high-denom rule is explicitly stated.
Granted, the rule is so well-known to experienced players that it's almost akin to
Jim Jefferies' bit about No Smoking signs: you shouldn't need a poster to know to follow it. And certainly Torelli has played enough poker to know not to hide his 5Ks behind that wall of ante chips.
However, is it possible/likely that Torelli found a room with no such rule for cash games, then decided to take advantage?