overplayed one's hand
Bet too aggressively
To overplay one's hand is to push an advantage too far and lose it.
From card games where a player bets aggressively on a hand that turns out to be weaker than assumed.
The phrase applies whenever someone miscalculates their leverage: The union overplayed its hand and the company walked away from negotiations.
He overplayed his hand by demanding too much and ended up with nothing.
- arroganceExcessive self-importance
- miscalculationError in estimation
- failureLack of success
- hubrisRuinous excessive confidence
- too clever by halfIntelligence undermining itself
bluffing · misstep · bad bet · negotiation · blunder · politics · setback · embarrassment · egg on face · consequences · mismanagement · repercussions · defeat · poker · regret · overreach · humiliation · presumption
overplayed one's handplayed it safe
Acted to minimize risk
held back · kept one's powder dry · bided one's time · hedged one's bets · erred on the side of caution
overplayed one's handplayed one's cards right
Acted strategically for advantage
read the room · threaded the needle · quit while ahead · stuck the landing
overplay, overplayed, played, plays, playing, player, players, playful, playfulness