Meaning of 4D chess | Babel Free

Definitions

A sophisticated strategy that is far beyond the comprehension of others, especially one in which apparent blunders are simply indicators of yet-to-be-understood brilliance.

ironic, uncountable, usually

Examples

“Mr. STRATTON. Now, with respect to that theory - and all I have is the newspaper articles to go on, to attribute it to you and the Air Force - how can you build missiles to knock out Soviet sites if we don't know where the sites are? General WHITE. A very good question. [Laughter.] This whole subject I would describe as a four-dimensional chess game. There are books and studies all over the country. Unfortunately, I am afraid the public as a whole doesn't read them. I think the first thing to bear in mind is that knowing where your enemy is is an age-old military game.”

“Steve Bannon, who once referred to Trump as a “blunt instrument” for his ideology, risks 4-D-chess-playing his way straight out of his position of influence, as his president has reportedly become either annoyed or threatened by his attempts to cast himself as the real grandmaster.”

“He plays four-dimensional chess while his current analogue often seems to play Whac-a-Mole.”

“These are the actions of a club flailing around to make things work, not the 4D chess moves of some Machiavellian puppet master.”

“Such speculations are often met with a retort that leans even harder into the stupidity allegation. No, Trump and his people are not playing four-dimensional chess, the response goes – we are simply witnessing the consequences of allowing a deranged man into the highest office, backed by a coterie of dim and unqualified cronies.”

CEFR level