Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton took a page out of Republican Donald Trump’s playbook in their Monday night debate to beat him at his own game.

In the span of just a few hours, Clinton saw her odds of moving back into the White House rise from an already-high 69 percent before the debate to 73 percent afterward, according to prediction market aggregator PredictWise. Trump’s chances slumped accordingly. “This is a large shift” and relatively rare, happening only once or twice per election cycle, said PredictWise founder David Rothschild.

Clinton’s odds of winning several battleground states also improved over a comparable four-hour period: by nine points in North Carolina, four points in New Hampshire, and three points each in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Colorado.

Snap polls conducted after the debate similarly favored Clinton, including 62 percent of respondents in a CNN poll and 51 percent in a survey by the Democratic firm Public Policy Polling. Even the Mexican peso, increasingly a barometer of Trump-related anxiety, rallied.

At the root of this emerging consensus was Clinton’s ability to control the agenda. At one point she parried a question about her private e-mail server with a scant 46-word reply, all the while keeping Trump on the defensive about his business practices and unreleased tax returns. Trump spoke more than Clinton, including interrupting and attacking 24 more times than his rival.

David Fuller's view

I watched the debate as it occurred and it was a consummate performance by Hillary Clinton.  She was calm, composed, unflappable and most of all, better informed. 

Clinton was the polished matador, verbally sidestepping a charging Donald Trump.  As the debate progressed she put him increasingly on the defensive with barbed comments.  He fell for it every time, unable to deflect them and becoming increasingly defensive, relying on denial.  He questioned her stamina, but she smiled throughout and he looked exhausted near the end. I could only fault her for occasional smugness. 

We know that debating skills are not the full measure of aspiring presidential nominees.  Trump supporters will be relieved that their candidate did not self-destruct.  They will say that he is a strong, successful businessman rather than a slick politician. 

The same was said about Ronald Reagan after his debate with Jimmy Carter in 1980.  Carter was sharper but Reagan had more warmth and smiled a lot.  Clinton smiled during most of last night’s debate while Trump frowned, glowered and even snarled. Which candidate would you rather join for lunch?

Clinton supporters will say that she was smarter, more inclusive and presidential than her opponent, and showed reassuring energy.  Undecided voters watching this debate for insights are more likely to favour Clinton, even though she is the establishment candidate facing a somewhat rebellious electorate. 

Trump’s momentum during most of September has been checked.  Possible risks for Clinton during the remainder of the campaign are that Trump should be able to improve on his performance in the remaining two debates.  Also, liberal third party candidates are more likely to draw support away from Clinton than Trump.    

(See also: The Complete First 2016 Presidential Debate, and judge for yourself if you have not already seen it.  Additionally, see: I Muted Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton During the Debate.  I Still Knew the Score, from The New York Times.)