MovieChat Forums > A Big Hand for the Little Lady (1966) Discussion > Table Stakes (spoiler)

Table Stakes (spoiler)

posted 11 years ago by deddhedd-1
4 replies | jump to latest

I never knew what the term "Table Stakes" meant, so I had to look it up.

Basically it means that you are only allowed to bet the amount of money (chips) you have on the table when the hand is dealt. You are not allowed to buy more chips by taking money from your wallet (or in Henry Fonda's case, suitcase).

When Meridith sits down to the table, they tell him the game is "Table Stakes",and Meridith says "I assumed as much". They then mention "Western Rules" meaning you have to bow out of the hand if you run out of money to bet and have to leave your chips on the table.

They make a big deal of enforcing the "Western Rules" rule--but they seem to not enfore the "Tables Stakes" rule. Meridith runs upstairs for $3000 more cash during the "Big Hand" but nobody seems to make a fuss out of this? Why is that? I mean the other players say "there is nothing in the rules about leaving the room during a hand" and Havershaw replies "as long as he leaves the cards in the room it's o.k.

So my question is, if they were so rigid about "Western Rules", why do they totally ignore the "Tables Stakes" rule.

Just something that bothered me.

Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy this movie and can watch it over and over again in spite of knowing the "twist".

[–] samtkm-morgan 11 years ago

They show the rule being "broken" earlier in the film. When Otto (at least I believe it was Otto) coming out to cash in 3K in poker chips after the game has been in progress for a while. This is the first scene where they focus on the boy's eyes as he observes the counting of cash over the bar.

Clearly, this is a high-stakes game with rules - and rules. Of course they'll clear out the stranger's room cash and ignore the Table Stakes Rule to enforce the Western Rules - because it's not like he has a bottomless supply of cash on him, right? It's someone to toy with on the side and break up the monotony of their annual game to them...I mean, it's not like he or someone in his family could suddenly turn to someone like a banker and get enough backing to put all of them in a Western Rules disadvantage, right? :D

[–] deddhedd-1 11 years ago

I believe the "Table Stakes" rule only applies to a given hand. Once the hand is done,
a player can buy more chips. At least that is my understanding.

When Otto comes out I believe it was between hands so no rule broken.

Of course Drummond breaks the rule too when he tells Sam to "bring in the big box of chips"
but that was only after Mereidith had already broken the rule.

[–] PreachCaleb 10 years ago

I assume they wanted to clean him out and get rid of him.

Does IMDB hate apostrophes?

[–] spookyrat1 10 years ago

Yes. They felt they'd snared a goose, which duly required some cooking.🐭