- For the similarly titled novel, see Brinkmanship
Brinksmanship was a foreign policy strategy in which a party or parties pushed their interactions to the point of conflict in the hopes of gaining the upper hand.
In 2365, Data explained that in brinksmanship, how a power was perceived mattered more than their actual ability; thus, the fearsome reputation of the Zakdorn for strategic genius had deterred anyone from testing them in combat. Worf discounted their reputation, feeling that without being tested, it was useless. (TNG: "Peak Performance")
In 2366, Jean-Luc Picard described brinksmanship as a dangerous game, following USS Enterprise-D's encounter with the Romulans. (TNG: "The Enemy")