hold the cards | Idiomator

Meaning: (idiomatic)To be in astrongposition, possessing significantadvantagesover someone else; to bein controlof a situation involving multiple parties.1907,R. Austin Freeman, chapter 14, inThe Red Thumb Mark:"[B]ut if you make conditions I have no choice but to accept them, seeing that youhold the cards."1986August 17, Peter H. Lewis, “Practical Traveller: Learning the ABC's — as well as the XYZ's — of Flying”, inNew York Times, retrieved12 January 2012:Once a ticket is paid for and the airline has your money, itholds the cards.2008July 10, Megan Lindow, “Why Mugabe and His Foe Are Talking”, inTime:"In the short term, from a power perspective, the current Zimbabwe elite isholding the cards," says Steven Friedman, director of the Center for the Study of Democracy.

Examples:

EN: - I'll hold the cards!
ES: - Claro.
EN: The carabinieri hold the cards.
ES: El ejército es quien lleva el mando.
EN: The way you play, Thomas, darling. I think you should hold the cards, and I'll just bring you luck.
ES: Si sigues jugando así, Thomas, deberías jugar tú y yo traerte suerte.
EN: He wouldn't be able to hold the cards.
ES: No podría sostener las cartas.
EN: I still hold the cards.
ES: Aún tengo el control.
EN: What do you mean, I don't hold the cards in this situation?
ES: ¿Qué no las tengo todas?
EN: You hold the cards.
ES: que tienes el control.
ES: Usted tiene todas las cartas.
ES: Tú tienes las cartas.
EN: Sorry, I hold the cards.
ES: Lo lamento, pero tengo todo el control.
EN: We must pick those spots where the stakes are highest for us and where we hold the cards that'll give us the greatest opportunity to prevail.
ES: Hay que apostar en las partidas en que las apuestas sean ventajosas... y sólo si tenemos unas cartas que nos den posibilidades de victoria.
EN: You know, we're sort of sitting in this position where we hold the cards for right now, so of course, I jumped down.
ES: Estamos en una posición donde tenemos todas las cartas. Y pues claro que me solté... Quiero conservar mi energía.
EN: They're letting us know they hold the cards.
ES: Nos hacen saber que mandan ellos.
EN: What crap can she give now that you hold the cards?
ES: ¿Cómo podrá atacarte, ahora que tienes todas las cartas ganadoras?
EN: He's only got one arm, so he's using his only good leg to hold the cards in.
ES: Él sólo tiene un brazo, así que usa su única pierna buena para sujetar los naipes.
EN: You just have to hold the cards steady.
ES: Sólo tienes que mantener las cartas firmes.
EN: We hold the cards now, asshole!
ES: ¡Tenemos las cartas ahora, imbécil!

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