Casino personnel usually refer to chips as "cheques," which is of French origin. In reality, there is a distinction between a chip and a cheque. A cheque is a chip with a value written on its face and is always worth the amount of the printed denomination. Chips, however, do not have denominations written on them and any colour can be worth any cash amount as determined by the table. For instance, in a poker tournament, the house might value white chips as 1 dollar and blue chips as $10; whereas, in a game of roulette, the dealer might state that white chips as $0.25 and blue chips as $2. A further instance, the inexpensive red, white, and blue poker chips you purchase at K-Mart for your Friday-night poker get together are considered "chips" because they do not have values written on them.
When you plop your $$$$ down on the table and hear the dealer announce, "Cheque change only," he is just informing the boxman that a new player would like to change money for chips (cheques), and that the cash on the table is not in play. Cash plays in almost all betting houses, so if you place a $5 bill on the Pass Line just before the tosser tosses the bones and the croupier does not change your money for cheques, your $$$$$$ is "live" and "in play." When the dealer announces, "Cheque change only," the boxman understands that your $$$$$$ is not part of the action.
In reality, in land based craps rounds, we compete with cheques, and not chips. Ever so often, a player will approach the table, drop a $100 cheque, and tell the dealer, "Cheque change." It’s amusing to pretend to be a newbie and ask the dealer, "Hey, I’m new to Craps, what’s a cheque?" Generally, their wacky answers will entertain you.
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