Keep your cards close to your chest

Origin

This phrase vividly evokes the scene at a card table, particularly in games like poker, where a player's hand is their most vital secret. To literally keep one's cards held tight against the body, just below the chin or pressed to the chest, is the most basic act of self-preservation in the game. It ensures that no opponent can glimpse a single pip or suit, giving away a strategic advantage. This simple, physical act of concealment became a powerful metaphor for discretion and secrecy in all aspects of life, advising one to guard their intentions or information as closely as a winning hand.