What's the meaning of this sentence?

Intuitively this one should be pretty obvious, it means to withdraw, perhaps out of a feeling of hopelessness

and "double down"To me anyway suggests hunching over your work. OneLook.com is very vague:

http://onelook.com/?w=double+down&ls=a

Both terms originated as card playing gambling terms.

Double down usually means to press the issue.

Folding means accepting defeat...and moving on to the next hand.

Pushing back from the table means to survey the situation...look over the competition.

Whoever wrote this thing mixed metaphors from here to Hell and back. Frankly, it is hack babble.

"Fold your cards and push back from the table" - give up; "double down" - Blackjack term - double your bet; metaphorically in talking about "moments in life", I suggest it means to double or significantly increase the amount of effort. Summary: at some points in life, when engaged in an endeavour, the wisest thing to do may be either to give up or press on (profound, huh?).

A very bad piece of writing, both in terms of the idea expressed, and the expression.

Nancy those other guys have the right answers

Simply, go for it or call it quits.

There is a third possibility, between giving up and doubling effort, namely "carry on consistently".

I don't think the third option was considered, because he wrote, It was a choice between the two.

There are no mixed metaphors, Frank, not a one. I thought you said you were top of the class in English.

================

Two or three other people chimed in at that point: “Ed, will you do it?”
There are moments in life when you fold your cards and push back from the table, and moments when you double down. That, for me, was one of those moments.

you fold your cards

Instead of continuing to play a bad card hand you place all your cards face down,

push back from the table

Tell everyone that you are out of the hand or the whole game.

and moments when you double down.



In this sense it means stay in the card game and bet to win or bluff other players.

Care to give an analysis, C?