Table stakes
The minimum features a product must have just to be considered by users. They don't win anyone over — their absence simply disqualifies you from competing.
What it is
Borrowed from poker, where table stakes are the minimum chips required to sit down and play, the term describes the baseline capabilities a product needs to be taken seriously in its market. Table stakes are not differentiators; they are the things customers assume will be present and notice only when missing. As a market matures, yesterday's standout features routinely become today's table stakes.
When you would use it
You invoke it when prioritizing a roadmap — distinguishing the features required just to compete from the ones that actually set your product apart.
Common operations
- Separating must-have baseline features from genuine differentiators when scoping a product.
- Justifying work that doesn't excite anyone but is required for market credibility.
Related terms
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Where this is taught
No learning path uses this term yet. Browse the Learning Atlas for guided sequences through related ideas.