overplays one's hand

Verb

overplay one's hand (third-person singular simple present overplays one's hand, present participle overplaying one's hand, simple past and past participle overplayed one's hand)

1. To bet too much or play too aggressively based on one's excessive optimism in the quality of their cards.
2. (broadly, figuratively) To act too boldly due to overestimating one's advantage.
   • Behind the scenes, Mr. Biden’s aides are searching Mr. Putin’s comments for evidence that he is sensing that he may have overplayed his hand — that his massing of troops has managed to unify the normally fractious 30 nations that make up the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.2022 February 18, David E. Sanger, “The United States’ Message to Russia: Prove Us Wrong”, in The New York Times, →ISSN