come up trumps

The phrase "come up trumps" means to achieve a successful or victorious outcome, often unexpectedly or in a challenging situation. It suggests that someone or something has surpassed expectations or produced a highly favorable result. In card playing, the term "trumps" refers to a suit with a higher value than any other suit, so "come up trumps" originally referred to winning a trick or a game by playing a trump card. Over time, it has evolved to depict triumph or success in various contexts beyond card games.