I see it like living life by intentionally influencing your luck. For instance, if you want to attend an event with 100 people you like, you can manipulate your actions to make that happen. If you have a crush on someone, you can manipulate your actions to increase the chances of being seen by her and making a move. Similarly, if you're unhappy with your job, you can manipulate your time to study for a new profession.
In essence, I see it as manipulating our daily tasks and choices.
The idea of the 'dread game' with another human being, whether it's wife or cousin, is similar.
It involves manipulating events to achieve a desired outcome.
So if I see my wife reading all the time, and having no sex, instead of telling her "you should stop reading" "you're absent", etc etc, I could bring her a spicy romance novel and that would change the outcome.
This is just an example.