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Desplumaron al hombre con un golpazo en el tapete.

Desplumaron al hombre con un golpazo en el tapete.
They fleeced the man with a huge hit on the felt.
From Lesson 405:Evaluative suffixes (-azo, -ón, -ucho)·Spanish (Latin America)

Questions & Answers about Desplumaron al hombre con un golpazo en el tapete.

How does the suffix -azo change the meaning of golpe here?
The suffix -azo is used to indicate a forceful blow or something of large size. Since golpe already means a hit or blow, adding -azo creates golpazo, emphasizing that it was a massive, devastating hit. In this gambling context, it implies a huge winning move that wiped out the man's money.
Since the lesson covers both, could I use golpón instead of golpazo to mean a big hit?
You will almost always see golpazo rather than golpón. While the suffix -ón does indicate large size, -azo is specifically used to express a sudden, violent strike or physical impact. Words for blows, strikes, or sudden impacts strongly prefer the -azo ending.
Why is desplumaron translated as they fleeced? Doesn't it have something to do with feathers?
Exactly! The root of desplumar is pluma (feather), so it literally means to pluck a bird. Figuratively, it means to strip someone of all their money by scamming them or beating them in a game. It works just like the English idiom to fleece (which refers to shearing sheep).
Does tapete usually mean felt?
In everyday Spanish, tapete normally means a small rug or mat. However, in the context of gambling, it refers to the green felt that covers a card table. The combination of tapete and desplumaron is what tells us this man lost his money in a casino or poker game.

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