By which to win at whist? (8)

I believe the answer is:

trickery

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'whist?' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both acts as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps there's a link between them I don't understand?

I don't understand the remainder of the clue.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for trickery that I've seen before include "Legerdemain" , "Cunning deceit" , "Practice of deception" , "Hocus-pocus" , "Smoke and mirrors?" .)

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