Card games in general and poker, in particular, are played worldwide in different casinos and gambling centres, both physically and from any mobile device.
That’s one reason why there are quite a few phrases we borrowed from poker. We won’t list them all, but we’ve got the top 4 for you.
#4 Play your cards right
This sentence has a very similar literal and figurative meaning. It implies taking advantage of opportunities and being competent to get a positive result and make the best out of something.
Example: She was in a bind at work, but she played her cards right, and in the end, instead of being fired, she got a paid holiday.
#3 The joker
It may represent any card at the sole players’ discretion. It also replaces an unknown character and is often described as an asterisk.
However, its figurative sense was born in the mid-19th century and referred to a person or event. So, it serves various purposes, according to the convenience of the person who has it at their disposal.
Example: Pedro is a joker within the company; he is instrumental in any required job.
#2 Bluff
It is an expression that means to lie or exaggerate about something. This idiom comes from card games, in which a bluff is a lie told by a player about the cards they have to dissuade them from placing a bet.
On the one hand, it means “to increase in danger”. On the other hand, also, it is synonymous with the phrase “to increase commitment or involvement”.
Example: When asked if he could speak English well in the first interview, he bluffed. It was his turn to talk in the subsequent discussion, and he could barely say hello in English.
#1 A house of cards
This idiom describes a plan or company with a precarious structure that can easily be broken. Some etymologists claim that it was first used figuratively by John Milton, dating from the 1640s.
It is trendy today. You may have seen or heard of the hit TV series that goes by the name of “House of Cards”. And without even reading the plot (a political drama), one can get a pretty good idea of what it will be about.
Example: I immediately realised that their relationship was like a house of cards; it could end at any moment.
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