English

Noun

long game

1. (idiomatic) A long-term strategy or endeavor.
   • 1917, H. Rider Haggard, Finished, ch. 20:

     He had won the long game and success had turned to ashes in his mouth.

   • 1993 July 19, Todd S. Purdum, "As Campaign Warms, Dinkins Manager Is Cool, Calm and Directed," New York Times (retrieved 11 July 2014):

     Mr. Lynch has always preferred the long game and he is banking on luring Democrats home to the Mayor's side in November.

   • 2010 Aug. 21, Tony Karon, "Fears May Be Overblown as Iran Reactor Comes Online," Time (retrieved 11 July 2014):

     The U.S. and its allies hope to use the leverage of sanctions to persuade Iran to back down. . . . For each side, the long game remains shaping the diplomatic compromise to their own liking.

2. (American football) The aspect of the game in which the strategy is to advance downfield by throwing the ball to a receiving player; the passing game.
   • 2013 Sept. 8, "What we saw: Seahawks 12, at Panthers 7," Seattle Post-Intelligencer (retrieved 11 July 2014):

     [T]he Seahawks held Newton to 119 passing yards, as the Panthers kept mainly to the ground and Seattle's secondary shut down the long game.

3. (golf) The portion of the game, played with driver clubs, in which the ball is advanced down the fairway to the putting green.
   • 2010 July 18, Christopher Clarey, "Another Second for Golf’s Latest Near-Miss Man," New York Times (retrieved 11 July 2014):

     “[E]verybody thinks when the wind blows it affects the long game the most, but it doesn’t,” Westwood said. “It tends to affect the putting most.”

Usage notes

• One who follows a long-term strategy is said to "play the long game".