How to Play a Man Who is Playing You (And Win)

Dating can be a beautiful adventure, but it can also feel like going through a maze blindfolded.

How to tell if you’re being played by a man?

You can tell you’re being played if he is inconsistent, sends mixed signals, and makes you feel like you’re always chasing his attention. He might cancel plans or act distant without a clear reason, which keeps you guessing and trying to decode his behaviour.

If you’ve spotted some of the major first date red flags, it’s probably best to save yourself the trouble and walk away now.

But what if you’re already invested?

While most decent men won’t be playing mind games, some do. They’re testing your loyalty, they’re afraid of commitment, or have been hurt in the past. If that’s what your intuition says and you don’t want to let him go yet…well, you must know how to play a man.

At Most Gifted Psychics, we’ve heard thousands of stories from women just like you. The patterns become clear after a while. Sometimes, the only way to handle a player is to understand their game…not to stoop to his level, but to protect yourself while maintaining your dignity.

Let’s explore how to take back control when you find yourself tangled in someone else’s game.

7 Smart Moves to Play a Man and Beat Him at His Own Game

Men who play games often follow predictable behaviors. Our love and relationship experts have helped countless women not only identify these patterns but also turn the tables.

We don’t advocate for playing games out of spite, but rather using strategic approaches to protect your heart while figuring out his true intentions.

These seven moves have been gathered from our most successful client outcomes.

Set Boundaries That Give You the Upper Hand

When a man tries to play you, your first instinct might be to play along or put up with it in hopes he’ll change. We’re here to tell you that setting clear boundaries isn’t just self-respect…it’s your secret weapon for gaining the upper hand.

Start by identifying your non-negotiables.

Is it the late-night booty calls that leave you feeling used? Or maybe it’s the way he disappears for days, only to text “hey stranger” like nothing happened?

The right move here isn’t announcing your boundaries with a formal declaration. Instead, demonstrate them through actions.

When he texts at 11 PM asking to come over, you respond with a simple “I’m not available for last-minute plans” rather than explaining why.

This shows him you value your time more than his sporadic attention.

Many women who don’t understand how to challenge a man worry that boundaries will push him away. In reality, they create intrigue because players aren’t used to women who know their worth.

He’ll sense you’re not an easy conquest, like the other girls he played.

He’s used to women adjusting their lives to fit his games, but you’re requiring him to meet your standards. This subtle power shift happens when he starts wondering why.

What some women we worked with got wrong here is not being consistent.

If you set a boundary on Monday but break it by Wednesday, he learns your words mean nothing. The moment he sees your boundaries aren’t flexible is the moment your value in his eyes increases.

Keep Things Light Until He Shows Consistency

We once had a client, Marissa, who came to us confused about a man who seemed perfect one week and distant the next. After dealing with new relationship anxiety for three emotionally draining months, she learned what we’re about to share with you:

Keeping things light isn’t playing safe. It’s playing smart with a man who’s playing you!

When a man blows hot and cold, matching his seriousness level protects your heart while forcing him to prove his intentions. We don’t mean to be fake or inauthentic.

If he’s only making weekend plans, don’t clear your entire week for him. If he shares surface-level details about his life, respond with the same depth, not your deepest secrets and insecurities.

Text conversations are where we’ve seen most women unwittingly surrender power.

When he sends a casual “what’s up?” don’t respond with a paragraph about your day, thoughts, and feelings. Maintain the same brevity he offers until he demonstrates effort for a deeper connection. Match his timeframe too. If he takes three hours to respond, treat him the same way.

Our client, Marissa, started implementing this approach, and guess what happened.

The guy who once disappeared for days suddenly began checking in daily. Why? Because when she stopped overinvesting, he had to work harder to maintain her interest.

We’d say focus on having fun rather than securing a relationship.

When you genuinely have a great time without needing promises of the future, he senses that your happiness doesn’t depend on him. And paradoxically, this makes him want to be a bigger part of it.

Spend Time with Other Guys to Make Him Jealous

We’re not suggesting you manipulate anyone’s feelings. If you think about it, maintaining a social life that includes other men is healthy for you. And if a man is trying to play you, it’s eye-opening for him.

Why become exclusively focused on one guy before he’s earned that privilege?

Continue accepting invitations from other guys – whether for coffee, dinner, or just friendly gatherings. When he realizes you’re spending Saturday night at a concert with your guy friends instead of waiting for his text, something shifts in the dynamic.

One of the things men want from a woman is to make them feel valued. But men value most what they think they might lose.

If you think he is the right guy, but also a player, and often seems lukewarm…mention having a great time at a party where you met several interesting people. We promise you that his perception of your desirability will immediately increase.

Social media can subtly communicate this reality without being obvious.

We don’t mean posting photos kissing other men. A group shot where you’re clearly having fun with mixed company sends a powerful message. Let him draw his own conclusions about whether these other guys are just friends or potential suitors.

Once a man sees you’re emotionally healthy enough to enjoy other people’s company, he realizes you’re not sitting around and waiting to play his own game.

Now, don’t mention other men constantly in conversation. While subtle awareness is effective, obvious tactics appear desperate. He should discover your active social life naturally, through occasional mentions or mutual friends, rather than feeling like you’re deliberately trying to provoke jealousy.

Play it right and you’ll make him reconsider taking you for granted.

Mirror His Mixed Signals to Stay in Control

One day he’s planning future dates, the next he’s “too busy” to respond. It can drive you crazy.

We’ve counseled many women through this confusing behavior, and our most effective advice might surprise you:

Mirror what he gives, play the same way, and you’ll beat him at his own game.

The idea is to match his investment level and regain control of your feelings while giving him a taste of his own medicine. Here’s how effective mirroring works in specific scenarios:

» When he takes hours to reply:

Don’t drop everything to respond immediately. Continue with your day and reply when it’s convenient for you. He’ll notice the shift from your previous eagerness.

» When he cancels plans last minute:

Accept with minimal reaction. Then, the next time he asks to see you, be unavailable. Not out of spite, but because you’ve made other plans after learning he’s unreliable.

» When he sends confusing texts:

If he sends something vague like “miss you” after days of silence, respond with equally ambiguous messages. Your “thanks, hope you’re well” matches his low-effort communication.

This works because it creates a reflection that many players aren’t prepared to see. Men who send mixed signals typically expect women to chase harder when they pull back.

When you don’t, the relationship dynamic shifts significantly.

Use Your Mutual Friends to Gather Intel

The connections we share with others often serve as valuable resources. Especially when dealing with a guy who’s clearly trying to play you.

While we never recommend stalking or obsessive behavior, there’s nothing wrong with strategically using your social network to gain perspective. If you want to find a good man, you must do what it takes, right?

You likely have mutual friends who’ve seen how this man acts around others or know about his dating history. They can provide insights that help you understand if his behavior is his normal or specific to your relationship.

Most men present different sides of themselves to different people. Your guy might act completely different around his buddies than he does with you. A casual comment from a friend of his tells you more than his sweet texts ever could.

The trick is gathering this information naturally, without coming across as desperate or manipulative.

When spending time with a mutual friend, bring him up casually in conversation. Most people will naturally offer their impressions or experiences. Listen carefully – these unfiltered opinions often reveal things you might not see when blinded by attraction.

If you want to play this right, we’d recommend not crossing ethical boundaries.

Checking his public social media is fair game…hacking into his accounts or interrogating friends is not. The goal is gathering information that’s already available, not investigating him like a detective.

Keep Him Curious: Don’t Be Available at All Times

Men who play games expect women to be constantly available…waiting by the phone, rearranging schedules, and dropping everything when they finally decide to make contact.

We’ve seen this repeatedly in our reading sessions, and one case particularly stands out.

Alicia, a 42-year-old executive, came to us frustrated about a man who’d text her nonstop one day, then disappear for a week. She’d respond immediately to every message, cancel plans even with best friends when he suddenly wanted to meet, and basically structured her life around his unpredictable attention.

During the initial psychic reading, we sensed his interest was genuine, but that he didn’t respect her time because she’d never given him reason to.

“I feel like my whole life revolves around waiting for him, but I’m afraid if I’m not available, he’ll find someone else who is,” she shared.

We guided Alicia to gradually reclaim her schedule. Instead of answering texts within minutes, she’d wait several hours. When he suggested last-minute plans, she’d sometimes respond with, “I’ve already got something scheduled, but I’m free next Tuesday.”

Within three weeks, Alicia reported a noticeable shift.

“He asked if he could schedule dinner next weekend in advance,” she told us in her follow-up session. “And he seems more engaged when we’re together, asking questions about what I’ve been doing.”

By not being constantly available, she’d become more interesting to him.

The psychology behind this approach is simple. People value what they can’t easily obtain. When you’re always available, you inadvertently communicate that your time has little value.

Completely Ignore Him at the Right Moment

Of all the strategies we’ve shared with our clients over the years, this one consistently proves to be the ultimate way to play a man.

When executed properly, completely ignoring a man who’s playing games can completely flip the dynamic and give YOU the decisive advantage. We consider this the best move in your arsenal because it accomplishes what all other approaches attempt:

It forces him to confront the possibility of losing you entirely!

While other strategies subtly shift the balance, this one creates an unmistakable wake-up call that even the most dedicated womanizers can’t ignore.

As you probably figured, timing is everything with this approach.

The right moment to employ complete radio silence is after you’ve noticed a consistent pattern of disrespect or game-playing. Perhaps he’s stood you up, said something particularly hurtful, or you’ve caught him in a significant lie.

Don’t announce your intention. Disappear from his life without explanation.

This means no calls, no texts, no responding to social media interactions…and definitely no “accidental” run-ins at places he frequents. When his messages come in (and they will), your phone stays silent.

What makes this so effective is the big question mark it places in his mind.

Most players expect tears, arguments, or passionate reactions…emotional responses that still feed their ego. Complete silence offers no such satisfaction and forces self-reflection instead.

The length of time you maintain this silence depends on the severity of his behavior.

For minor game-playing, a few days might suffice. For serious disrespect, a couple of weeks shows you’re not easily manipulated back into his orbit.

Trust your intuition on this timeline – YOU know best what feels right!

Be prepared for escalation before resolution. He’ll likely cycle through confusion, anger, bargaining, and possibly even attempts to make you jealous before recognizing his genuine feelings.

The key is remaining resolute through these phases. If you break the silence too soon, the impact diminishes significantly.

Know When to Walk Away: Mind Games Can’t Go On Forever

Playing his game might give you temporary satisfaction, but we need to be honest with you:

Mind games aren’t sustainable in a healthy relationship. At some point, you’ll need to decide if this person is worth your time.

If he continues disappearing, making excuses, or treating you as an option rather than a priority, you’re fighting an uphill battle.

Most men who play games don’t suddenly transform into reliable partners without significant personal growth on their part.

Your time is precious, and spending it trying to decode someone’s mixed signals means missing opportunities with men who would treat you right.

Do you need more clarity about your situation?

Our love and relationship psychics have guided many women to recognize whether they should keep playing or walk away.

In a single phone reading, we can help you understand his true intentions and develop a strategy for your circumstances.

Don’t waste another day wondering where you stand!

Call us now and transform confusion into confidence!

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