Because I tend to get "too passionate", "too obsessive" and "too impatient" when it comes to chips - I often have to replace "me" or "them" and "chips" with something else to a new perspective. My NEEEEEED to "have" certain chips can make me act, think, behave, defend, justify, criticize in ways that say, "Jill?! Can you say "Prozac!"?

I agree with Pete - we are running a race without set rules. And already KNOWING I have no control over ANYTHING - ANYWHERE - ANYTIME doesn't make ME feel any better when I HONESTLY thought I had set a realistic "goal" - and LATER find out I was wrong. Not "wrong" about wanting something. Not "wrong" about my committment to achieve it. Just "wrong" because somewhere along the way I assumed that "other people" - ESPECIALLY those who understood my committment - would be determined to help me.

The marketing ploy behind this "very limited" release isn't clear to me. What long-term benefits will they get from "pleasing" a handful of people (they put them on tables, right? No VIP treatment like HR even?) which at least was "fair". I can dismiss the notion that making $2400 profit on a $100 investment would be a factor. And they dismissed the "chipper-friendly option of releasing enough to satisfy the chipping market - so it is clear we "chippers" weren't their primary target. See... those who who REALLY REALLY want to "run" won't stop just because they have to climb the Empire State Building. IF someone thinks they can win them "all", they are probably in the wrong race.

All the debates and disappointments we share in this hobby reinforce the same thing:
YOU CAN TELL SOMEONE ELSE WHAT TO DO...
BUT YOU CAN'T MAKE THEM DO IT.

Even if you mean well - YOU CAN'T MAKE THEM DO IT.
Even if you are RIGHT - YOU CAN'T MAKE THEM DO IT.
EVEN if you have a gun - you may be able to make them do it once but they'll take away your chips!!

The decision to release collectible/ limited chips is handled by someone, right? Who does it anyway? Marketing? Promotions? High Seniority Black Jack Dealer? SOMEONE does it - and SOMEONE thinks it is a GOOD decision to release a high demand item in a quantity that guarantees (no ifs-ands-or-buts) that practically NO ONE gets one... especially those who REALLY REALLY want one. Hmmmm... Odd. Because - face it. Who ever makes business decisions for a multibillion dollar business "ain't no dummy". They are aware of more chip-friendly options. In fact, I'm convinced they did the math and based their decision on how these chips would "best serve them". Would it be so hard to believe they are motivated by something bigger than pleasing a group of "hobbyists"? Why not cater to "the "collector"? Because THE MAJORITY of these chips are mailed so what is the liklihood of us ever setting foot in that casino?

So... I'm thinking there must be a reason... and although unpopular around here, I bet it is interesting.