beat someone at their own game

• play someone at their own game (UK)

beat someone at their own game (third-person singular simple present beats someone at their own game, present participle beating someone at their own game, simple past beat someone at their own game, past participle beaten someone at their own game or (colloquial) beat someone at their own game)

1. (figuratively) To successfully use someone's methods and strategies against them.

• the biter bit
• turn the tables
• hoist(ed) by one's own petard

• “beat sb at their own game”, in Cambridge English Dictionary, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press, 1999–present.
• “beat someone at their own game”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
• “beat play someone at their own game” (UK) in Macmillan English Dictionary.
• “beat someone at their own game” (US) in Macmillan English Dictionary.
• “to beat someone at their own game”, in Collins English Dictionary.