gam ‧ bit /ˈɡæmbət, ˈɡæmbɪt/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1600-1700 ; Language: Italian ; Origin: gambetto 'act of making someone fall over' , from gamba 'leg' ]
1 . something that you do or say which is intended to give you an advantage in an argument:
a clever debating gambit
These questions are often an opening gambit (=the thing you say first) for a negotiation.
2 . a planned series of moves at the beginning of a game of ↑ chess