A trump card or last resort; a secret or decisive tactic used when needed most.
交渉が決裂しそうになったので、彼は奥の手を出した。
When the negotiations were about to break down, he played his trump card.
この案は奥の手だから簡単には見せられない。
This plan is an ace up our sleeve, so we can't reveal it easily.
試合終盤で彼の奥の手が炸裂した。
In the final stage of the match, his secret move paid off.
Secret skills or hidden tricks; techniques or know-how that someone keeps to themselves.
彼女は料理の奥の手をいくつも持っている。
She has several secret tricks in cooking.
作家の作品には驚きの奥の手が隠されていることが多い。
A writer's works often hide surprising little tricks.
詐欺師は様々な奥の手を使っていた。
The con artist used various secret tricks.
An archaic meaning: 'left hand'. Rarely used in modern Japanese.
古文では『奥の手』が左手の意味で使われることがある。
In classical texts, '奥の手' is sometimes used to mean the left hand.