How to Play a Scorpio Man at His Own Game

Co-authored by Jessica Lanyadoo and Caroline Heiderscheit

Last Updated: February 27, 2022 References

Dating a Scorpio man can mean tons of intense, heartfelt chats, passionate rendezvous, and an amazing physical connection. However, it can also mean facing complicated mind games at the hands of this insecure, sometimes controlling sign. Luckily though, it's possible to play a Scorpio man at his own game (and win). To learn how to hold your own against a Scorpio man, check out our tips below!

1

Keep your secrets safe.

A Scorpio may try to sneakily steal your secrets. One of the most commonly known Scorpio mind games is used to figure out someone else’s secrets. This sign may offer you a minor secret, one they’re actually comfortable sharing, and make it sound like a huge deal. Then, they’ll wait for you to open up and share something super deep in return.^{[1]
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- The key here is to keep your lips sealed. You can thank him for his honesty, and if he seems to be waiting for you to reciprocate, just don't.
- By holding onto your secrets, you've played him at his own game.
- Of course, manipulation is never cool. And for evolved, secure, confident Scorpios, these games won’t be an issue.
- But if it helps, Scorpios do feel connection through the deep, emotional stuff -- like secrets. So, you can at least enjoy that he's trying to connect with you!

2

Keep his secrets safe, too.

He may share classified information just to see if you spread it around. Scorpio men sometimes plant harmless secrets just to test others' trustworthiness.^{[3]
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Jessica Lanyadoo
Astrologer & Psychic Medium
Expert Interview. 12 November 2019.} His favorite thing in the world is a truly loyal friend or partner. So naturally, he plays games to get a sense of who fits into that category and who does not. He'll tell you a secret and then, he’ll wait and watch.^{[4]
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- This is another easy one to deal with. Just don’t tell a soul!
- Try to forget he even mentioned it. If you give anything away, even on accident, you'll have lost his game.

3

Tell the truth.

Insecure Scorpios may use your lies against you. Plus, if you're dishonest, he'll probably figure it out right away. What’s more, he’ll be completely crushed, because loyalty is everything to him.^{[5]
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- Scorpio men definitely want honesty, even if it's brutal. If you're tempted to lie because the truth may hurt him, it's not worth it.
- To avoid any vengeful, Scorpio games, be truthful with him.

4

Keep your cool if he showers you with praise.

A Scorpio man might test you to see if praise and attention go to your head. These guys are sometimes genuinely obsessed with their partners at the outset, but other times, it's just another test. To protect his heart, he’ll want to know everything about you before he really lets you in. So, he'll play up his interest, making you think you hold all the cards, and then he'll see how you react.^{[7]
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- If he seems like he's suspiciously invested right at the beginning, just keep your cool. Definitely avoid bragging about how much he likes you to other people.
- Instead, relax. Take the positive attention in stride and try to determine how you feel about him without letting his intensity affect your decision.^{[8]
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  Jessica Lanyadoo
  Astrologer & Psychic Medium
  Expert Interview. 12 November 2019.}
- By being super casual, you'll have won his game.

5

If he ghosts, focus on you instead.

When a Scorpio goes silent, he'll want to see if you obsess over him. An insecure Scorpio may stop calling and texting suddenly, just to see how you react. Sure, he’ll probably pick things back up in the next couple of days (if, in his eyes, you pass his test), but you don’t have to wait by the phone. He wants to see if you can keep your cool, so do just that.^{[9]
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- When it’s clear that your Scorpio man has gone from one hundred to zero, shift your focus. Worrying about when he’ll call will do you no good, so instead, make the day all about you.
- Finish that house project you’ve been putting off, take yourself on a museum date, or enjoy a nice long walk. By choosing to enjoy the day, you'll prove that you aren’t at his beck and call.
- When he realizes you didn't stress over his silence, you’ll have played this Scorpio man at his own game.

6

If he doesn't text back, send a mature response.

When a Scorpio ghosts, an honest text could throw him off his game. Another reason Scorpio men may suddenly disappear is just plain, old insecurity. He’s afraid to give you his heart because he doesn't want to get hurt. He'll want proof that you care before he goes further. So, he’s testing you to make sure.^{[10]
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- You can rise to the occasion without stooping to his level. Send a reasonable, honest response to tell him you care without totally losing your cool.
- Try something like, “Hey! I haven’t heard from you in a minute. I just wanted to let you know that I like you and would love to keep doing what we’re doing. But if you don’t respond, I’ll take the hint. Hope to talk soon."
- This way, you've set clear expectations, and you've totally let yourself off the hook. He wanted the ball to be in your court, but because you've been totally honest, it landed back in his.
- You’ve officially played him at his own game.

7

Reject his huge promises.

To avoid getting hurt, keep your expectations in check. Some Scorpio men are totally enamored with their crushes right from the start.^{[11]
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Jessica Lanyadoo
Astrologer & Psychic Medium
Expert Interview. 12 November 2019.} When this happens, they may be impatient with the relationship's pace, wanting to dive right into emotional intensity. So, they'll make super dramatic, heartfelt promises, even if they can't keep them, just to draw their crush in. If you feel like your Scorpio is blowing smoke just to steal your heart, address this issue right then and there.^{[12]
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- Remind him that you like him, and over-the-top-promises aren't necessary, "You know, I already like you. You don’t need to promise me anything super major right from the start!”
- By showing him that you aren't falling for his tricks, you'll keep your heart safe from broken promises, and you'll have him beat. After all he can't use this mind game to pull you in if you don't let him.^{[13]
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8

Casually confront him.

Scorpios can't play games with people who already know their tricks. If you get the sense that your Scorpio man is testing you, it never hurts to let him know that you're just a clever as he is. If you're not totally sure and you don't want to risk calling him out for well-meaning behavior, you can find a way to do it subtly.^{[14]
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- Let's say you suspect that he's testing your loyalty by planting a secret and waiting to see if you spill it. You could say, "I feel like you can learn so much about someone by paying attention to how they handle your secrets. Don’t you think so?”

9

Impress him in a debate.

In arguments, he'll want you to be confident and unemotional. Scorpio men absolutely love a healthy debate. This sign is usually in favor of intense emotions, but in a heated discussion, he'll want to see if you keep your cool instead. You probably won’t be able to convince him he’s wrong (in his mind, he never is!), but you could absolutely enchant him by staying composed and keeping your emotions in check.^{[15]
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- If he draws you into a debate, don’t be thrown by how collected he'll be. Instead, just enjoy the battle of wits.
- If you show him you can have fun and not lose your temper, you’ll have played him at his own game.

10

Prove your independence.

Scorpios want to date people that can handle things on their own. Because of this, they may test their partners, asking them to complete a project or handle a task. Yes, ideally he'd just be honest about his expectations. But that's not a Scorpio's style!
- If your Scorpio guy asks you to do something that he could do himself, he may be testing you. If he is, take a moment to decide whether or not you’re comfortable playing his game.^{[16]
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- If you’re happy enough to go along with it, then feel free to blow him away. Handle the project confidently, and the Scorpio in your life will be thrilled.
- If you’re (totally understandably) not interested in jumping through hoops, feel free to just confront it head on. Try something like, “Wouldn’t you normally do this yourself? You wouldn’t be testing me or something, would you?”
- Scorpios can't play games with anyone who's caught on to their tricks. So either way, you win.

11

Stay calm if you mess up.

If you break his trust, try being reasonable with him to get forgiven. Scorpios can be pretty intimidating when they’ve got revenge on the mind. These guys will sometimes refuse to forgive – even if they actually really want to. They're super afraid of getting hurt, and when they do, they may be too prideful to accept your mistake. Overcome this by staying calm, being mature, and appealing to reason.^{[17]
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- Apologize, tell him he's important to you, and remind him that though you'll work to be forgiven, you'll accept his choice either way. Finally, you can mention that you hope he won't let his pride keep him from a special relationship.
- Yes, Scorpios may withhold forgiveness as a mind game. But at the end of the day, this is a super logical sign.
- They may give in if you meet them with reason. And with that, you'll have won.

Expert Q&A

Question

How can I become friends with a Scorpio?

Jessica Lanyadoo
Astrologer & Psychic Medium
Jessica Lanyadoo is an astrologer with over 20 years of consulting experience. She is the author of Astrology for Real Relationships: Understanding You, Me, and How We All Get Along and is the host of the popular astrology and advice show, Ghost of a Podcast. Lanyadoo co-hosted TLC’s digital astrology show Stargazing and writes weekly and monthly horoscopes that help you heal.

Jessica Lanyadoo

Astrologer & Psychic Medium

Expert Answer

Scorpios can be a little suspicious in terms of friendship. They do not trust easily. So if you want to be friends with a Scorpio, the way to do it is by showing up and being there. Once you secure the trust and friendship of a Scorpio, you have a friend for life. They are very loyal.
Question

What should I keep in mind while dating a Scorpio?

Jessica Lanyadoo
Astrologer & Psychic Medium
Jessica Lanyadoo is an astrologer with over 20 years of consulting experience. She is the author of Astrology for Real Relationships: Understanding You, Me, and How We All Get Along and is the host of the popular astrology and advice show, Ghost of a Podcast. Lanyadoo co-hosted TLC’s digital astrology show Stargazing and writes weekly and monthly horoscopes that help you heal.

Jessica Lanyadoo

Astrologer & Psychic Medium

Expert Answer

Scorpio people are very emotional and can get very attached quite easily. When you are dating a Scorpio person, be attentive to what they are saying and not saying. Also, observe their body language.