“Table talk” refers to casual conversations around a table, often during dinner. In poker, it can refer to discussing hidden cards, and players must follow rules to maintain a fair play environment. Code words for suits can be used to trick players. Topics during dinner talk should not be overly serious or controversial.
The English idiom “table talk” refers to casual conversations around a table. In many cases, this idiom is used in connection with the dinner table, where groups and families will informally talk about the day’s events. Another more specialized use of the phrase is in poker jargon and refers to discussing inappropriate information during a game that could constitute cheating.
A specifically different use of the term “table” refers to poker and various other card games. In poker, players win or lose money by playing against each other. In these cases, maintaining a fair play environment is essential. Often, this includes a requirement to limit what buyers call table conversation, which in this case is any conversation related specifically to hidden cards, whether they are in a player’s hand or on the table.
Even when no money is at stake, card players often refer to rules that require talking at the table to be restricted. This is an important part of etiquette for card players and something that more experienced players automatically conform to. In some cases, it may be necessary to refer to these rules using this common idiom, where more experienced players, or those in command of the rules, will state what is and is not allowed.
It is important that all players at the card table understand not only what they can and cannot say, but also how other players can use table talk in subtle ways. One of the most common forms of covert chat consists of code words for the four suits of the deck of cards: hearts, diamonds, spades and clubs. In some cases, players may simply use these four words in an innocent-seeming context, for example, if one player says “diamonds are a girl’s best friend,” to trick another player into holding diamond cards or having need more of these cards. In other cases, a player may substitute a code word for diamonds, usually something that refers to value, such as money. It can be very difficult to gauge whether players are using the code, which is why some games prohibit any kind of casual conversation at the table.
In general, dinner talk can consist of any kind of informal argument. It can also take place in a variety of areas, not just at the dinner table in a home. For example, eaters at a local diner may engage in “table talk,” where the table at hand is the lunch counter or dining room of the restaurant. While there are few limits to what this type of casual conversation can consist of, it is generally implied that the topic will not be overly serious or important. Topics that are highly controversial or that might evoke unappetizing thoughts should be avoided.
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