endgame

1. The final stage of a game of chess, when there are few pieces left. · Rooks become much more important in the endgame.
2. The final stage of a game of bridge, when there are few cards left. · You can't really use squeeze plays until the endgame.
3. The final stage of any game. · Being stuck with two V tiles can make for an awkward Scrabble endgame.
4. The final stage of an extended process or course of events, especially with the implication of the imminent realization of a masterful strategy or plan. (figuratively) · What's his endgame, do you think?
5. The gameplay available in a massively multiplayer online role-playing game for players who have completed all of the preset challenges.
6. The thematic element of an advanced cryptic crossword puzzle, typically solved after completing the grid.

Plural endgames