A card-chip was one of the seventy-eight playing cards used in a sabacc game. Each card contained a small, electronic chip which would randomly change the value of the card while it was held in the hands, and display. A button at the lower-left corner of the card would re-scramble the electronic image.
The way to nullify the change was to lay the cards flat on their backs within the shallow interference field of the gaming table. A cheater could be used to transform card values at will.