When the chips are down

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Origin of Phrases - W

When the chips are down

Meaning: Tough times, when things are looking bleak.

Example: A bit of advice for you - when the chips are down you need to fall back on a technique I like to call quitting.

Origin: From the practice of using chips as a substitute for money when gambling. When winning you accumulate a lot of chips. But when you lose, your chips dwindle down.