when the chips are down

Meaning: When the situation is critical; when things are going badly.

Example: “When the chips are down, you find out who your friends are.”

Origin: In poker, chips are pushed into the pot, "down" on the table, when bets are placed and the hand must be played out. The phrase for a critical moment is American from the mid-20th century.

More English idioms

with flying colors Triumphantly; victoriously.
come from the wrong side of the tracks The poor part of town.
Look for a needle in a haystack To search for something you have almost no chance of finding, because the thing is tiny a…
Know where the shoe pinches To know exactly where the real trouble lies.
Take the wrong sow by the ear To go after the wrong target, or blame the wrong person.
have the blues To feel sad or depressed.

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