play one's cards right

• play one's cards well
• play one's hand right

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play one's cards right (third-person singular simple present plays one's cards right, present participle playing one's cards right, simple past and past participle played one's cards right)

1. To act correctly; to make the right moves.

   If you play your cards right, you'll get the promotion you've been waiting for.

   • 2024 May 30, Renato Mariotti, “How Trump’s Team Blew It”, in The New York Times‎^[1], →ISSN:

     If Mr. Trump’s lawyers had played their cards right, they most likely would have ended up with a hung jury or a misdemeanor conviction.

• play the hand one is dealt
• overplay one's hand