Tactic to throw game after false start (9)
I believe the answer is:
stratagem
'tactic' is the definition.
(thesaurus)
'throw game after false start' is the wordplay.
'throw' is an anagram indicator.
'after' says to put letters next to each other.
'false' indicates an anagram.
'game' with letters rearranged gives 'agem'.
'start' anagrammed gives 'strat'.
'agem' after 'strat' is 'STRATAGEM'.
'to' is the link.
(Other definitions for stratagem that I've seen before include "Artifice" , "Clever scheme" , "Crafty manoeuvre" , "Ruse" , "A cunning plan or piece of trickery" .)