Backgammon Quote by Al Masudi
““It was at this time that backgammon was invented and began to be popular. It is a kind of paradigm of how wealth is acquired, which in this world is not the reward of intelligence or ability, just as luck is not a product of skill... If luck favours the player, he gets what he wants; if it doesn't, a skilled and prudent man cannot win that which fortune only bestows on whom it likes. It is thus that the good things of this world are apportioned by chance.””
About This Quote
Source Historical Treatise: Kitab al-Majmu‘, 10th century
Wealth acquisition often depends on chance rather than skill; luck can override prudence.
In simple terms: Luck, not skill, often decides wealth.
Key Takeaway
Accept uncertainty and plan for chance.
Themes
philosophy
economics
probability
Mood
reflective
balanced
Type
philosophical
insight
When to use this quote
- gambling
- investment
- career planning
- resource allocation
Key Concepts
fortune
skill
luck
chance
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you mitigate luck’s impact?
- What role does skill play despite randomness?
A Different Perspective
Overemphasis on luck may discourage effort.
![“He remembered poor Julian [actually F. Scott Fitzgerald] and his romantic awe of them and how he had started a story once that began, "The very rich are different from you and me." And how someone had said to Julian, "Yes, they have more money."” quote by Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c01/ernest-hemingway-83_awe_he-remembered-poor-julian-actually-f-sco_2090095.jpg)
