Expression: 'to play a long hand'

Tamara · November 23, 2006, 8:00am

Hi

…
‘You prefer to play a long hand…’
‘I have usually found it the best way,’ said the other a little grimly.
© A. Christie

To me, with my Soviet childhood, the expression ‘to play a long hand’ is highly suitable to be used in ‘KGB-contexts’, or something like that. :?

But I suppose there is/are/can be some other meaning(s) of the expression in English.

?

Pond969 · November 23, 2006, 2:53pm

Hmmm … never heard that expression as such, but one plays a ‘hand’ of cards (such as bridge, for example) so possibly the speaker is suggesting that the other person acts deliberately, without haste, and with much planning and thought, rather than acting impulsively. I’d have to know more about the context to hazard any other guess.

Tamara · November 23, 2006, 3:30pm

Hi Pond969

’What was your stratagem exactly, Lord Mayfield?’
‘Well,’ Lord Mayfield hesitated. ‘I hadn’t exactly got down to details.’
‘You didn’t discuss it with anyone?’
‘No.’
‘Not even with Mr Carlile?’
‘No.’
Poirot smiled.
‘You prefer …

Yankee · November 23, 2006, 5:21pm

.
That sounds like a (figurative) reference to a game of cards to me, too.

hand (Definition 21c)

Amy

Pond969 · November 23, 2006, 8:37pm

Hmm… I’d certainly say it is a card-game reference now that I see the passage… I wonder if there is an actual term (‘play a long hand’) from some particular game.

There is an English expression ‘to play one’s cards close to one’s chest’ which, if one is actually playing cards, would suggest being careful not to allow the other players to see your cards but, in general, means being secretive or quiet about one’s thoughts or intentions. It’s funny that Poirot uses the expression we are discussing after questioning Lord Mayfield about other persons to whom he may have revealed his stratagem.

Tamara · November 24, 2006, 9:59pm

Hi

Perhaps, you’re right.
Thank you for your explanations. I’ve accepted them (it)

Pond969 · November 24, 2006, 10:49pm

Tamara … I was curious how that expression, in Russian, might have a ‘KGB’ context.

Tamara · November 25, 2006, 7:53am

Hi Pond969

…I only meant that any Russian would understand a 'long hand/arm of KGB’ unambiguously…
Despite now it’s FSB, methods were inherited. In particular, I mean their ‘special operations’ to physical eliminating people, inside and outside the country. And They have a long hand. Long hands of the FSB fixed/will fix him. – quite usual phrases in modern Russian. :?

Pond969 · November 25, 2006, 5:07pm

Ah… I see. In English the phrase ‘long arm of the law’ is sometimes used.