tactical maneuver, tactical manoeuvre, maneuver, manoeuvre - a move made to gain a tactical end

scheme, strategy - an elaborate and systematic plan of action

plant - something planted secretly for discovery by another; "the police used a plant to trick the thieves"; "he claimed that the evidence against him was a plant"

pump-and-dump scheme - an illegal scheme for making money by manipulating stock prices; the schemer persuades other people to buy the stock and then sells it himself as soon as the price of the stock rises

wangle, wangling - an instance of accomplishing something by scheming or trickery