Knavishness at cards? (8)

I believe the answer is:

trickery

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'knavishness' is the definition.
Both the answer and definition are singular nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?

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

Can you help me to learn more?

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

I've seen this clue in The Irish News.

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