Gambit / noun / gam·bit

Have you ever gambled or taken a calculated risk to gain an advantage in life or in business? This is an example of a “gambit” in action. In English, we use the word “gambit” as a noun to describe the acts of strategizing and planning to put ourselves in a better position. “Gambits” can occur in everyday life, or they can also be related to an opening move in a chess game that can give one player the advantage over another.

In a Sentence

He ran the “gambit” of ideas past his legal team as they were deciding on the best strategy for winning the case.

She realized that her “gambit” had paid off when she saw the tides slowly turning in her favor.

He started the game with an opening “gambit,” expecting it to pay off later as a victory over his opponent.

Etymology

In the mid-16th century, “gambit” was used to describe the opening chess move of sacrificing a pawn or similar piece to gain the advantage of a competing player later in the game. We started using “gambit” in the mid-17th century to describe cunning maneuvers in chess and in life that gives someone an advantage over another. Gambit comes to us from a combination of Italian words, including “gamba” meaning leg and “gambetto” which means ‘trip up.”

Synonym

Tactic, Maneuver

Antonym

Disorganization, Ignorance