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My teacher often mentions chin mudra (sorry if this is not how it is spelt) - I'm not sure if it is with the thumb and first finger together or a little bit more wrapped round?

Also how can you tell if the mudra it's working?

Hello Timmy. Yes, you have it right, it is called a chin mudra. I have come across different interpretations how exactly is a chin mudra performed. Some authors say it is done with the tip of thumb and index fingers touching and they call the variation where the index finger is folded under the thumb gyana mudra.
But I have found also read that both are done with the index finger folded under the thumb, but in chin mudra the palms face up and in gyana mudra the palms face down.
I personally wouldn't worry too much about "a correct version" and do the variation that works for you.

The mudra is done to form a circuit between the thumb and the index finger to direct the energy that would normally dissipate out of the fingers to the environment back to the body and up to the brain.
As it works on the subtle energetic level, you can't really tell from the outside whether it is working or not. But in a deep meditation, you might feel it does. However, when you just start practicing yoga, there is no need for you to worry about feeling any such effects, just keep practicing it and eventually it will come. Hope it helps.

This is really interesting Viparita - thanks! I have often wondered about this and what it does. (I never feel anything happening myself apart from feeling a bit more like an indian yogie ) I love the 'idea' of it, but I don't think for me anyway that mudras work - I don't have a deep meditaiton practise, so maybe that is it??? But how much of a practise must you have to really feel it?

Sallyoga I think as Viparita says it's on the subtle energetic level, so really 'feeling' it would come (I suspect) when you're in tune with your body-mind to a degree that you can not only perceive, but 'track' the flow of energy in your body. That sort of sensitivity seems so intense you'd either have to be super-sensitive to begin with or you'd have to have practiced yogic rites and practices for many many years to refine teh mind-body-consciuosness. Deep as in DEEP.

I 'feel' the effects of some asanas without really being able to pinpoint what or how I'm feeling it, but I still feel good. Same thing when I eat broccoli - I've been told about it's nutrients, I associate it with the general positive concept of having a healthy diet, and I feel good during and after eating it - without tracking the subtle effects on my energetic or cellular 'self.'

My personal approach to using mudras is just to use that concept of harnessing that good energy. Even the 'idea' of it has nutrients