Poker: Idioms
| This is the first entry in a series about poker. We’ll be talking about cards this week!
This entry is available as a Adobe Acrobat file for printing or use in a class. This entry includes a listening exercises. You can dowload the MP3 or play it using the button below. (MP3) |
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In According to Hoyle, a book of game rules, the author says that “poker has been called the national card game of the United States.” I don’t think that there is an official card game of the U.S., but I know that poker is a popular game in the U.S. (And a lot of other places, too.) Poker’s popularity means that it has added a lot to American English. And, if you’re learning English idioms, it’s a good idea to know a few of the more common idioms that come from poker.
Today, we’re going to talk about only some of the idioms that came from poker into American English. (And possibly—but I don’t know—into British English as well.) Do you know what it means to:
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Play your cards well? Or poorly?
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Have a poker face?
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Stack the deck?
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Hold your cards close to your chest?
Start the recording and learn the meaning of these idioms. When you’ve heard and understood the idioms, try to think of a non-poker occasion when you could use each of these idioms.
