Are the examples in the rules realistic? In one, a player has 13 chips. I have a hard time seeing how you could ever accumulate that many.

It's not too difficult to acquire chips. Here's how:

First, I heartily recommend starting the game with 3-4 Chips. It really helps, particularly in "one night" games.

Counter your Devil or one of your Traits. You can do both, but it might be too much early on. That'll get you 1 or 2 Chips, win or lose. Do that a couple times.

Then, enter a conflict you're pretty sure you can win. (Easier said than done, I realize. But, you can at least have an ok idea where to pick your battles.)

Place your chips as Stakes. Let's say you've got 4. Wager 'em. If you win, you'll now have 8 chips. Wager those, and you'll have 16.

So, that double-your-money effect adds up REALLY fast.

Obviously, the trick is getting there before your character enters The End . But, keep in mind you can also get Chips and immediately spend them in End Game. Counter a Trait during The End, get 1 chip, and with even that piddly 1 chip, you can Redeem someone else about to enter The End (restore them to 1 instead of 0).