Above BoardThe gambler's rule that defined honesty

From the show

History of Phrases

In 17th-century gambling halls, cheating was an art form and lighting was dim. To prevent sleight of hand, players were strictly required to keep their hands and the deck visible "above the board"—the table—rather than dropping them to their laps to swap cards. This episode deals out the history of card sharps and explains how a simple visual requirement became the universal phrase for transparent business.