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Today I learned: table stakes is borrowed from poker referring to the minimum size bet needed to participate in a hand, I’ve heard it so many times


That is not correct. Table stakes are not a "bet size", they are the minimum you have to bring to have a seat at the table. For example you might have to bring $300 to sit a table where the minimum bet size (big blind) is $5. You only have to bet the blinds 2 out of 10 hands (or more, if short-handed), which would be much smaller.


As a side note, despite its popularity, Texas hold'em is just one type of poker game. In most poker games (5 draw, 7 stud, etc..) you ante every hand.


Because poker variants are so popular basically everything varies, but yes there's often an ante (a forced bet every player makes each round), and that's even present in some Hold 'Em structures.


The first N times I came across someone use "table stakes", I dyslexically read it as "table steaks". Still came to the same meaning because, yeah -- I get it -- I too would only be coming over for dinner if there are steaks at the table.




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