Origin of "Turn the Tables"

This is a gambling expression that arose from the idea that if someone was losing badly at a game such as bridge or draughts, they could, if their opponent was distracted, turn the table around so they were sitting at the strongest hand, or the side of the board with the most pieces. This was just a kind of joke, because it would be one of the most comically obvious ways to cheat.
The expression has changed slightly over the years, and now indicates an unsuspected but cunning switch of fates.