But the reason why so many of these mortgage companies were making loans that banks couldn't make is because they had an ace in the hole, and their ace in the hole was Wall Street.

NPR: Will Interest-Rate Cut Really Help?

"It's clear they feel that the one ace in the hole that they still hold is national security and fighting terrorism, " VandeHei says.

NPR: Editor: Republicans in Worst Shape Since Watergate

Like any good gambler though, opponents of this critical resource development have an ace in the hole.

FORBES: EPA is Obama's Offshore Drilling Ace in the Hole

AIPAC's ace in the hole is the idea that it represents Jewish interests in a country that is generally philo-Semitic.

ECONOMIST: Lexington

Even without nuclear weapons, North Korea has an ace in the hole.

NPR: Despite Threats, Risks Temper Korea War Tensions

Though Artfire has a long way to go in terms of site traffic, their ace in the hole is their value-added user-centered support.

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Schering-Plough thinks its ace in the hole may be a modified version of Claritin that has already been put into the FDAs approval pipeline.

FORBES: Schering-Plough Stands to Lose Claritin Patent

Of course this isn't that surprising considering HD DVD's ace in the hole Universal and Paramount are on the bench for the third week in a row.

ENGADGET: HD DVD and Blu-ray releases on January 29th, 2008 HD

It's their ace in the hole.

FORBES: Magazine Article

Mr McCain's ace in the hole has been his claim that his opponent is too naive and inexperienced to be trusted with the big decisions that he will withdraw precipitously from Iraq to satisfy his liberal base and thereby undermine America's war on terror.

ECONOMIST: Lexington