In table stakes games, players cannot use any money that is not physically on the table during a hand. This means that if a player wants to raise the bet, they can only do so with the chips they currently have in play. If they run out of chips during the hand, they cannot be forced to make further bets unless they can add more chips before the hand concludes, which may only be done after the hand is finished. This rule protects players from losing more than they have committed to the table, promoting a fairer and more strategic gameplay.
Table Stakes Example
For example, if a player sits down with $100 in chips and makes a $10 bet, they can only continue to bet using the chips they have, which means they cannot go all-in for more than $100, regardless of what their opponent might bet. If they lose the hand, they are only risking their initial $100, even if the total pot was larger.