A cold deck is an unlucky or rigged deal resulting in a terrible outcome.
Explanation. Saying someone got “cold decked” comes from old dealing phrases—getting dealt a hand so poor or so improbably bad that it feels like bad luck or worse. It’s often used when a great hand gets crushed by an even better one on a brutal turn or river. Though usually about variance, some players joke about looking for collusion or cheating when the timing seems too cruel.