when the chips are down

Idioms  

1. When a situation is urgent or desperate, as in When the chips were down, all the children came home to help their mother. This expression comes from poker, where chips represent money being bet. When all the bets have been made, and the chips put down, the hand is over and the players turn up their cards to see who has won. [Late 1800s]

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Example Sentences

They may lie all the time, but when the chips are down, they gaslight.

From Salon • Nov. 9, 2024

And we have both found comfort in the companionship of cats, known for self-sufficiency but also, quiet as it’s kept, quite loving and dependable when the chips are down.

From Los Angeles Times • May 26, 2024

“They want to see that when the chips are down, the United States will be there for our allies and partners.”

From New York Times • Feb. 6, 2024

Now that you know what he’s like when the chips are down, you can move forward, understanding that when it comes to some of your greater needs, you should not necessarily count on him.

From Washington Post • Apr. 3, 2023

I've got to have confidence each team member will be there when the chips are down.

From The Universe — or Nothing by Moldeven, Meyer