The tables have turned, i ruoli si sono invertiti

L'idea viene proprio dai giochi da tavolo (in inglese board games).

Immaginate di giocare intorno a un tavolo. State perdendo ma, se ipoteticamente girate il tavolo (to turn, "girare"), allora avreste le carte o le pedine del vostro avversario e ribaltereste le sorti della partita.

Qualche esempio come sempre:

Well, things have changed, the tables seems to have turned..., bè... le cose sono cambiate, la fortuna ha iniziato a girare diversamente.
The second half of the game was a whole other story, the tables had turned and we won!, il secondo tempo della partita è stata tutta un'altra storia, i ruoli si erano invertiti e abbiamo vinto!
Honestly I could never imagine you would be able to turn the tables like that and get the best of it, in tutta onestà, non avrei mai immaginato che saresti riuscito a ribaltare la situazione e avere la meglio.

The tables have turned, turning the tables

Esistono varianti di questo stesso idioma.

Ad esempio turning tables, come il titolo di una celebre canzone dell'artista Adele di cui riportiamo qui di seguito il video e il testo (il testo di una canzone in inglese ha un vocabolo specifico, lyrics).

Turning tables

Close enough to start a war
All that I have is on the floor
God only knows what we're fighting for
All that I say, you always say more

I can't keep up with your turning tables
Under your thumb I can't breathe

So, I won't let you close enough to hurt me
No, I won't rescue you to just desert me
I can't give you the heart you think you gave me
It's time to say goodbye to turning tables
To turning tables

Under haunted skies I see you (ooh)
Where love is lost your ghost is found
I braved a hundred storms to leave you
As hard as you try, no, I will never be knocked down, whoa

I can't keep up with your turning tables
Under your thumb I can't breathe

So, I won't let you close enough to hurt me,
No, I won't rescue you to just desert me
I can't give you the heart you think you gave me
It's time to say goodbye to turning tables
Turning tables

Next time I'll be braver
I'll be my own savior
When the thunder calls for me
Next time I'll be braver
I'll be my own savior
Standing on my own two feet

I won't let you close enough to hurt me,
No, I won't rescue you to just desert me
I can't give you the heart you think you gave me
It's time to say goodbye to turning tables
To turning tables
Turning tables, yeah
Turning, oh