Definition

1. Verb phrase (in card games):
   • To win a trick with a low card by leading a suit that no other player can follow: This occurs when a player leads a card of a suit that has already been exhausted from the other players' hands, allowing even a very low card to win the trick.
   • To trump or ruff when void in a suit: To play a trump card on a trick when one has no cards left in the suit that was led.

Usage Examples

• Verb phrase:
  • Trong ván bài, anh ta đã ăn non bằng quân bài nhỏ nhất. (In the card game, he won the trick with a low card using the smallest card.)
  • Cô ấy không còn cơ, nên đã ăn non bằng một quân bài chủ. (She had no more hearts, so she trumped the trick with a trump card.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is specific to trick-taking card games like Bridge, Whist, or Tổ tôm. It describes a tactical advantage gained from the distribution of cards, not from holding high-ranking ones.

Variants and Related Words

• Ăn non nở (verb phrase): A less common variant with the same core meaning in card games.
• Cắt bài (verb): To cut the deck; related to the general action in card games.
• Chặt (verb): To trump or overtrump specifically.

Synonyms

• To trump: To play a trump card on a non-trump lead.
• To ruff: In Bridge, to play a trump when void in the suit led.
• To win a trick by default: To take a trick because opponents cannot follow suit.

Related Idioms

• Ăn non như Charlemagne: A direct reference to the French term "faire Charlemagne," meaning to quit while ahead or to leave the game after a big win. This idiom extends from the card game concept to a general strategy of stopping at the peak of success.
  • Sau khi thắng lớn, ông ấy ăn non như Charlemagne và rời bàn. (After a big win, he quit while he was ahead and left the table.)