gambit
n. countablen. a clever move or something you say at the start of a situation to get an advantage later.
n. a calculated move, remark, or tactic used at the beginning of a situation to gain a strategic advantage. Often implies a degree of risk or the sacrifice of a minor element for a greater eventual gain.
His opening gambit in the meeting was to offer a small discount.
The CEO's mention of a potential merger was a bold gambit designed to test the board's loyalty.
In international diplomacy, a small territorial concession is often used as a gambit to draw an opponent into more substantive negotiations regarding long-term peace.
From Italian gambetto (“act of tripping; gambit”), from Italian gamba (“leg”), from Late Latin gamba.
Commonly used in the context of games like chess or in business and political negotiations.