Friend's call making further play impossible (4)

I believe the answer is:

mate

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'friend's' is the definition.
(I know that mate is a type of friend)

I don't understand how the remainder of the clue works.

(Other definitions for mate that I've seen before include "First officer" , "Companion, wife" , "China" , "Match" , "Final move in chess" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.

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