AEE 2406: Play Your Cards Right With English Idioms
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This is an All Ears English podcast, episode 2406. Play your cards right with English idioms. Welcome to the All Ears English podcast, downloaded more than 200 million times. Are you feeling stuck with your English? We'll show you how to become fearless and fluent by focusing on connection, not perfection with your American host, Aubrey Carter, the IELTS whiz.

and Lindsay McMahon, the English adventurer, coming to you from Arizona and Colorado, USA. And to get your transcripts delivered by email every week, go to allearsenglish.com forward slash subscribe.

Do you like to play cards? Did you know that in American English we have 15 idioms that involve card playing? Find out how to stack the deck in your favor when it comes to these English idioms.

Are you tired of feeling stuck in meetings, interviews, or presentations? Knowing the words in your head, but struggling to say them out loud? Maybe you understand English, but when it's time to speak, your mind goes blank. Maybe your emails sound too stiff, or you miss jokes and casual conversations at work. Maybe you're ready to lead, to present, to grow your career, but English is holding you back.

The best way to get past being stuck is knowing where you're starting from. Get your English level in our simple and free fluency quiz. Find out if you're B1, B2, or C1 level at allearsenglish.com slash fluency score. That's allearsenglish.com slash F-L-U-E-N-C-Y S-C-O-R-E. Hello, Aubrey. How's it going? I have a question for you, actually. Okay, let's hear it.

Well, I actually already know the answer to this, but do you like playing card games? I love playing card games. I know. And you guys, if you've been listening to the podcast for a while, you probably know this. I love games, especially card games. And often, like if people just want to chat, I will be the one that's like, how about a game? How about a game? Oh, yeah. You're the person that annoys me. Yes. Sorry, Lindsay. Because I'm exactly the opposite. Right.

I just want to chat to know people and have a good conversation. Like I didn't want to play games really, but Hey, a lot of people agree with you and maybe some people agree with me. So I'm curious what camp our listeners are in. Maybe that will be our poll today.

Yeah, absolutely. Right. Be sure to fill out the Spotify poll because we would like to know. I also prefer like games where you are able to get to know each other. And we've talked about these before, too, where they spark an interesting conversation. I love those kind of games as well. Yes. Yeah. And there's a lot of great ones. There's actually one. Have you played Vertels? I think we talked about this on the podcast before. Yes, we talked about that. And there was like something kind of strange came up with your brother-in-law or something. Yes, yes, yes. These are good campfire games when you actually you're there to

build a relationship, not so much to like play poker. Right. And so you get to know people on a deeper level through those kind of games. But it can be kind of intense because sometimes I just feel a little lazy like to open up. Right. Yes, exactly. Right. Those are so interesting. But today we're focusing on card games because

There are over 15 idioms in English that reference playing cards. Yeah, I was kind of surprised. So this was inspired by an episode from the past, Stay to the End, and we'll share that in case you missed it. And we decided to do a follow-up, but this will be a three-part series because there are so many interesting idioms in English. And a lot of them we also use at work.

So this is the first episode here and then two and three will be on business English So be sure to follow both podcasts so that you don't miss any of these. Oh really good stuff I can't wait so open the search bar now and if you're not currently following Business English type in business English the yellow will come up and hit the follow button on that show So you're ready for parts two and three

Okay, good. Awesome. So let's dive in. The first one is play your cards right. This is so fun. It means to act in a way that is likely to lead to success, a successful outcome. Yes, I love that one. So you might say, if you play your cards right, I'll let you in on a secret. Yeah, my dad used to say this all the time when I was growing up. Can we get ice cream if you play your cards right? It's just like a dad thing to say. I don't know. Totally.

I say it too. So I probably, me and your dad would get along, I think. Because I don't want to just be like, if you're good, right? If you behave, it's more fun to be like, if you play your cards right, we'll see. If you say, if you behave, that feels too strict and formal to me. Yes, no fun. Yes, I agree. So here's another example. I was going to meet him for drinks, but he didn't play his cards right.

oh so we need a little bit more context there right maybe he wasn't responding to your texts or who knows anything could happen whatever they did their behavior did not merit uh you know a date maybe this could be about people meeting through the apps and then you're planning to meet for drinks and then something goes wrong in the text you're like nope he didn't play his cards right we're done here i'm gonna recommit to using this one because i love it i love the way it sounds it's nice and casual

Although when someone asks you for something, it can feel a little bit transactional. And this is a way to soften that fact that they have to be good. They have to do something well or correct. But you soften that by saying if you play your cards right. I'm excited for you to start using it. It's fun when like, so if my partner's like, hey, should you want to go for a date or something? Like, well, if you play your cards right. And I'm just being playful, right? I'm like, totally. I love

that. Very cool. Okay. That's the best one for sure. What's number two? Okay. Two is in the cards. It means something that is very likely to happen or like destined. If you imagine this like foreordained destiny, we'll say it's in the cards. And this is sort of referring more to like tarot cards. There are also cards where you sort of like read someone's

aura or their future. And so that's a little more of this when you say something is in the cards. Yeah, this is really interesting because when we interviewed, we've been speaking about our professional English level one course that just came out. When we interviewed Kate, who's a financial analyst with a big banking company in London, she actually used the phrase on the cards. It's not on the cards. And I'm looking it up now and

Yeah, I mean, it may be common in the UK, maybe on the cards. Yeah, British variation of interesting. It might be more, you know, how sometimes people will say online instead of in line. There are different prepositions depending on the region. So, yeah, I say in the cards. And for example, you know, I think a promotion is in the cards for me. If you think you're going to be promoted means you see it potentially in your future.

Yes. Or I was hoping to get that job, but I guess it's not in the cards. Not in the cards. What a great way to frame like if you don't, if you're not offered a position instead of being like, oh, I'm so bummed I wasn't hired. Like, oh, it's not in the cards.

Right. It's not in the cards. Like it's not in my destiny. It's not meant to be. And that kind of releases a little bit of stress, right? About things. Yes. Yeah. It was never meant to work out. I love that. Right. And number three, stacked deck. Now this one's a little less common. Um,

But the deck is stacked against someone, right? Yeah. So it's a situation where someone has an unfair advantage or where the odds are heavily in their favor. We hear this a lot in sports. I say this, right? If teams when I'm playing volleyball are not even, we'll be like, okay, they've got a stacked deck. We'll just do our best.

Interesting. They've got a stack. Yeah, I don't use the phrase they've got a stacked deck, but I do use the cards are stacked against someone. Would you say like the team is stacked to mean like they have a benefit? I've never heard that, but it doesn't mean it's not a thing. So this is one of those like where we'll shorten it instead of, you know, the grass is always greener on the other side, we'll shorten it. And same thing here, we'll just say they're stacked.

right? Something is stacked against us. The team is stacked and it's this idiom shortened. Very interesting. Or I feel like I have a stacked deck at work since our team works so well together. Interesting. So this is conveying this in a positive tone. I've heard it used when your teammates have all of these great skills. So you're like, oh, okay, we've got a stacked deck. We're going to do great. Oh, really interesting. Yeah. I've actually heard that used more in the, in the

disadvantageous sense. So if someone has the deck stacked against them, maybe they have some kind of disadvantage, like in society, for example, like a more societal comment, right? And that is more common, I think, but you will hear it this way. It can be used this way as well. This actually comes from especially poker. When they're using multiple decks, someone might be able to count cards. And if the deck is stacked, that means there are still a lot of good cards in the deck. Ah, very enlightening. Good to know. Yeah.

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Okay, Aubrey, we're on number four. Play one's cards close to the chest, right? What does this mean? It means like to be secretive or cautious about one's plans. So for example, I don't know what her plans are. She plays her cards really close to the chest. Just means like they're not an open book, sort of the opposite of being an open book. Yes, or I usually play my cards close to the chest, but lately I find myself being an open book. So someone has changed. Right.

They've decided to open up, right? And we talk about this in relationships a lot too. If you're playing your cards too close to the chest, not being open, then it's hard to let people in for a relationship. For sure. And number five, I love it because it's been made famous by Lady Gaga, right? Yes.

All of our listeners will know this term. What does it mean, Aubrey? Yeah, it's an impassive expression that hides one's true feelings. So when you're playing poker, you can't show what your cards are. You can't be obviously excited or upset. So we say this, but not just about cards, right? You might say...

You know, this is actually about guard. Don't go to the casino. You have a terrible poker face. But that's also not really talking about going to the casino. You're telling someone whatever they're feeling, you can see on their face. Oh, I would be terrible poker because everything's on my face. Or he has a good poker face. I can't tell what he's thinking. Right.

And that is definitely an advantage in many ways in life, I think. Yeah, it's true. I'm also not good at this. I think what I'm thinking and feeling shows on my face. I have an open book. There are benefits and drawbacks for sure. There are benefits and drawbacks. Maybe it makes people more trustworthy. Um,

but i think being someone that doesn't have a poker face can be a little inconvenient at times right definitely right sometimes you need that poker face to hide your emotions yeah for sure all right so in our role play today we are at a baseball game fun it's springtime so it's it makes sense right i know it's appropriate i'm dying to get out to a baseball game they do spring training games here in arizona those are happening now i'm like oh i want to go to one hey

I kind of miss living in Boston because the Red Sox were such a big deal there. But here in Denver, baseball is like a little less of a deal. Less of a big deal. So anyways, all right, I'll start us out. The Dodgers are winning by so much. Seems like they have a bit of a stacked deck. Yeah. Win for the Cubs doesn't seem like it's in the cards. I know you're a Cubs fan, but you don't look too upset. Maybe you just have a good poker face. I'm a Cubs fan, but it's not over till it's over.

Okay, well, I'm going to get us drinks. I think we played our cards right waiting for the line to die down. Yeah. And what I like about this conversation is it's so realistic because we do move from one topic to the next so quickly as native speakers, right? Absolutely. Right. Yeah. Making comments on all these different things. It's not a thread that comes through. And I think that's one thing I want to

make sure our listeners pay attention to. Right? Yes. Right. So let's go through this. I first am pointing out just the score. The Dodgers are ahead. And then I say, it seems like they have a bit of a stacked deck. And I'm talking about their team being a lot better, which I have heard Dodgers fans talk about this. They have a Japanese player who's amazing. Everyone loves him. I should know his name, but I'm not a huge baseball fan. Do you know it? I think it's Hiroki something. Our listeners are definitely...

I know. Our listeners are all thinking it because he's so famous. And I knew it. I've known it over time and now I can't think of it right now. But I think people say this. They're like, oh, he has given the Dodgers a stacked deck because now they're so much better than everybody else. Yes. He's really good. For sure. And thankfully,

It was huge in Japan. I actually went to a baseball game there. It was super fun. Oh, that would be fun. I love baseball. Yes. Good. Okay. Where are we at here? Then you said a win for the Cubs doesn't seem like it's in the cards. So you're predicting, you're saying like, it's probably not going to happen, right? That's not the future we're looking at. Maybe it's like 12 to zero. A win for the Cubs is not in the cards. Not in the cards. Unlikely to happen.

And then you said, I know you're a Cups fan, but you don't look too upset. Maybe you just have a good poker face. I'm trying to figure you out. Right. It's like maybe you aren't as big of a fan as I thought, or you just have a good poker face and you're hating how upset you are. Yeah. And then I push back and I say, oh, it's not over till it's over, which is a very common expression in sports or competition. Right.

Absolutely. Right. It's like the score might be really uneven right now, but there's always the comeback, right? There's always the story of someone coming back. And so you never know. We never know what's going to happen. Yes. And what's the last thing that you said, Aubrey?

And then I said, I think we played our cards right waiting for the line to die down. So maybe when we got there, the line for a beer was a mile long. We're like, let's wait. And then we played our cards right. We made the right choice and the line died down. And now I can go and not have to wait in a long line. Yeah. And again, you're making a comment and it's not rude that you have gone to another topic. It's

it's normal, right? I'm going to go get us drinks. And then maybe when you come back, you're going to pick up that topic again of, you know, the Dodgers going to win or not. Right. And we have talked about this before on the podcast, but those two tiny words I said at the beginning of my statement do matter. I said, okay, well, I'm going to get us drinks. It would be strange.

If you say it's not over till it's over and I immediately say, I'm going to get us drinks. You're right. Those little transitions, it's vital to pivot with these little words. Pivot. And I do think we've covered that on the show, but I think maybe we should revisit that on the show because it's so natural and native to do this, but you're so right. You do need some kind of transition and it could be as simple as, okay, well, blah, blah, blah. You need something. Okay. So we'll come back to that another day. There's lots of ways we do that. So let's definitely cover that. Hit follow so you don't miss it.

Perfect. Guys, go check out All Ears English 2334. What do crayons, tools, and chandeliers have in common? Yeah, that's where this came up. You guys shared not playing with a full deck. So that's also an idiom about card playing. And then not the sharpest tool in the shed. Those mean the same thing, right? They're kind of silly talking about someone's intelligence or making fun of someone for making a foolish mistake. So if you missed that episode, go and check it out.

Oh, I'm excited for parts two and three of this topic over on, are they both on Business English, Aubrey? Both over there? Yes, exactly, right? There are so many idioms about card playing and the rest of them really, we use both in everyday conversations and at work. So even if you don't work in business, be sure to follow the Business English podcast so that you get all of those other idioms. Love it. And what's our takeaway for today? We've gotten at some really important things to know about conversation, about culture. What else?

Yeah. And we use these idioms to connect in English, right? If you aren't using idioms, your language is likely more formal, less playful. 15 idioms about card playing that you should be adding to your language to make it more interesting and fun and to connect more easily in English. Yeah. 15 is so many and we'll cover them on this show. So get ready, hit follow on the business podcast and we'll see you over there very soon. All right. Awesome. See you next time. All right. Take care, Aubrey. Bye. Bye.

Thanks for listening to All Ears English. Would you like to know your English level? Take our two-minute quiz. Go to allearsenglish.com forward slash fluency score. And if you believe in connection, not perfection, then hit subscribe now to make sure you don't miss anything. See you next time.