playing into someone's hands
Aiding your opponent
Playing into someone's hands means unwittingly doing exactly what benefits an opponent or adversary, helping them achieve their goals through your own actions.
The image comes from card games, where certain plays advantage the other player: By losing your temper in the meeting, you played right into his hands.
The phrase implies being manipulated or making a strategic error that serves someone else's interests.
- gullibilityEase of being deceived
- plottingDevising a secret plan
- schemingCrafty and calculating
- hidden agendaUndisclosed true purpose
- deceptionIntentional misleading of others
risk · mistake · tactical error · oversight · naivety · exploitation · weakness · exposure · giving away · miscalculation · outmaneuvered · overconfidence · unwitting · blind spot · manipulation · puppet strings · vulnerability · blunder
playing into someone's handsoutmaneuvering
Defeating through superior tactics
outsmarting · turning the tables · outwitting · thwarting · blindsiding
playing into someone's handsplaying one's cards right
Managing circumstances advantageously
played, player, players, playfulness, playing, replayed, replaying, outplayed, otherness