If tournament chips are taken, there is the possibility of them being reintroduced in a different tournament. If chips are brought into another tournament, the integrity of the entire tournament is lost. The balance of the entire tournament has been altered. The person with the extra chips has an unfair advantage. Those at the same table are unfairly disadvantaged. If the unscrupulous player loses chips, then those who win those pots have more chips than they should. I can understand why a casino would take very seriously the loss of tournament chips.

Michael Siskin