Dar as cartas can have two different meanings, so it has also two different translations:
Meaning (1) "to take the decision, detein the power"
Dar as cartas: TO CALL THE SHOTS
Se você quer falar de negócios, precisa se encontrar com Jerry. É ele quem da as cartas por aqui.
Meaning (2) "in a card's game"
Dar as cartas: TO DEAL THE CARDS
>> You're cheating, and I won't let you deal the cards again!
Você está roubando, e não vou deixá-lo dar as cartas de novo!
Other card's game vocabulary:
Suit: naipe
To shuffle the cards: embaralhar as cartas
To have a good hand: ter uma boa mão (boas cartas)
The Deck: o baralho
By Luiza Gomes