have the cards stacked against

have the cards stacked against (one)

and have the deck stacked against one

Fig. to have one's chance at future success limited by factors over which one has no control; to have luck against one. You can't get very far in life if you have the deck stacked against you. I can't seem to get ahead. I always have the cards stacked against me.

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
Silvia	SEEL-vyah (Italian), SEEL-byah (Spanish)	Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, English, German, Late Roman, Roman Mythology
Mila	-	Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Czech, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian
Braidy	BRAY-dee	English (Rare)
Tyson	['taisən]
Didacus	-	Medieval Spanish
Devorah	-	Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew