--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But compared with the task of selecting a…" description: "\"But compared with the task of selecting a piece of French pastry held by an impatient waiter a move in chess is like reaching for a salary check in its..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40e/robert-benchley-2562_checks_but-compared-with-the-task-of-selecting_1195815.jpg" --- # But compared with the task of selecting a piece of French… ![“But compared with the task of selecting a piece of French pastry held by an impatient waiter a move in chess is like reaching for a salary check in its demand on the contemplative faculties.” quote by Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40e/robert-benchley-2562_checks_but-compared-with-the-task-of-selecting_1195815.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40e/robert-benchley-2562_checks_but-compared-with-the-task-of-selecting_1195815.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40e/robert-benchley-2562_checks_but-compared-with-the-task-of-selecting_1195815.jpg) > “But compared with the task of selecting a piece of French pastry held by an impatient waiter a move in chess is like reaching for a salary check in its demand on the contemplative faculties.” [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing a pastry demands quick thought, while chess requires deep, sustained contemplation, highlighting the difference in mental effort. **In simple terms:** Pastry is quick, chess is deep. Key Takeaway Recognize the depth required for complex tasks. Themes cognition focus complexity Mood reflective analytical Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - restaurant ordering - chess tournaments - problem solving - academic research Key Concepts decisionmaking strategic thinking Questions to Reflect On - When do you underestimate a task's mental demand? - How can you prepare for deeper challenges? A Different Perspective Even simple choices can be deceptive; depth varies by context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chess/) [Contemplative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contemplative/) [Demand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demand/) [Waiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiter/) ## Related quotes > [Chess, like love, is infectious at any age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salo-flohr/chess-like-love-is-infectious-at-any-age/) Salo Flohr > [Chess, like other arts, must be practiced to be appreciated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-alekhine/chess-like-other-arts-must-be-practiced-to-be-appreciated/) [Alexander Alekhine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-alekhine/) > [Chess is like body-building. If you train every day, you stay in top shape. It is the same with your brain - chess is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-kramnik/chess-is-like-body-building-if-you-train-every-day-you-stay-in-top/) [Vladimir Kramnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-kramnik/) > [“The game of chess is like the game of life. You move, then wait patiently until the other person moves…mgc”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gray-calvert/the-game-of-chess-is-like-the-game-of-life-you-move-then-wait/) [Michael Gray Calvert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gray-calvert/) > [Chess is like a delicious drug which offers such heavenly delights that they can never tear themselves away from it completely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reuben-fine/chess-is-like-a-delicious-drug-which-offers-such-heavenly-delights/) [Reuben Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reuben-fine/) > [For me, MMA is like speed chess. It's like I'm herding a person into a certain position. Say my endgame is an arm bar.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronda-rousey/for-me-mma-is-like-speed-chess-it-s-like-i-m-herding-a-person-into-a/) [Ronda Rousey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronda-rousey/) > [Chess, like love, like music, has the power to make men happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siegbert-tarrasch/chess-like-love-like-music-has-the-power-to-make-men-happy/) [Siegbert Tarrasch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siegbert-tarrasch/) > [I have a quite feeling of pity for all those who don't know chess; almost like I am sorry for those who never learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siegbert-tarrasch/i-have-a-quite-feeling-of-pity-for-all-those-who-don-t-know-chess/) [Siegbert Tarrasch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siegbert-tarrasch/) > [Chess is a form of intellectual productiveness, therein lies its peculiar charm. 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At that time I was a King and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-spassky/in-my-country-at-that-time-being-a-champion-of-chess-was-like-being-a/) [Boris Spassky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-spassky/) ## More by Robert Benchley > [I have often wondered how they manage to get return envelopes which miss, by one-quarter of an inch, fitting the blank you are supposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/i-have-often-wondered-how-they-manage-to-get-return-envelopes-which/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [My first big mistake was made when, in a moment of weakness, I consented to learn the game; for a man who can frankly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/my-first-big-mistake-was-made-when-in-a-moment-of-weakness-i/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [You might think that after thousands of years of coming up too soon and getting frozen, the crocus family would have had a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/you-might-think-that-after-thousands-of-years-of-coming-up-too-soon/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [It took me fifteen years to discover I had no talent for writing, but I couldn't give it up because by that time I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/it-took-me-fifteen-years-to-discover-i-had-no-talent-for-writing-but/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [But ice-crunching and loud gum-chewing, together with drumming on tables, and whistling the same tune 70 times in succession, because they indicate an indifference…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/but-ice-crunching-and-loud-gum-chewing-together-with-drumming-on/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [The naturalistic literature of this country has reached such a state that no family of characters is considered true to life whichdoes not include…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/the-naturalistic-literature-of-this-country-has-reached-such-a-state/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [There is no such place as Budapest. Perhaps you are thinking of Bucharest, and there is no such place as Bucharest, either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/there-is-no-such-place-as-budapest-perhaps-you-are-thinking-of/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [I am both a public and a private school boy myself, having always changed schools just as the class in English in the new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/i-am-both-a-public-and-a-private-school-boy-myself-having-always/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [Anyone can do any amount of work, provided it isn't the work he is supposed be doing at that moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/anyone-can-do-any-amount-of-work-provided-it-isn-t-the-work-he-is/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [After an author has been dead for some time, it becomes increasingly difficult for his publishers to get out a new book by him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/after-an-author-has-been-dead-for-some-time-it-becomes-increasingly/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [One of the chief duties of the fan is to engage in arguments with the man behind him. 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Behind every argument is someone's ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/behind-every-argument-is-someone-s-ignorance-behind-every-argument-is/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) [Explore all 161 Robert Benchley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) ## More Checks quotes > [Check out the albums, ... Check out the live performances. That's the reality of it all. Music is such an energizing thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mayall/check-out-the-albums-check-out-the-live-performances-that-s-the/) [John Mayall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mayall/) > [ When the fountains of government \[borrowing\] abundance began to dry up, when through lack of funds and the impossibility of negotiating fresh loans the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-t-flynn/when-the-fountains-of-government-borrowing-abundance-began-to-dry-up/) [John T. Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-t-flynn/) > [Even with clothing naked animals, there were people who wanted to send in money. A woman in Santa Barbara, California, sent a $40,000 check.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-abel/even-with-clothing-naked-animals-there-were-people-who-wanted-to-send/) [Alan Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-abel/) > [I gave birth to most of them MC's... So when it comes around to the month of May, Send me your royalty check for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxanne-shante/i-gave-birth-to-most-of-them-mc-s-so-when-it-comes-around-to-the/) Roxanne Shante > [I pay these niggas with a reality check…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/i-pay-these-niggas-with-a-reality-check/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [Two things you need to know about taxes. They've extended the deadline to April 18, and when you write your check, just make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/two-things-you-need-to-know-about-taxes-they-ve-extended-the-deadline/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [The first thing you ought to do is verify what I present. Just because I say it doesn't make it true. So check it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-first-thing-you-ought-to-do-is-verify-what-i-present-just-because/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [It's a constant man-ego-check going on in the streets, in this world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/it-s-a-constant-man-ego-check-going-on-in-the-streets-in-this-world/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [Well, a lot of our concerts do okay, and I know we still get royalty checks which still isn't that important, but again, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-johnston/well-a-lot-of-our-concerts-do-okay-and-i-know-we-still-get-royalty/) [Bruce Johnston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-johnston/) > [The things of the world are ever rising and falling, and in perpetual change; and this change must be according to the will of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-von-humboldt/the-things-of-the-world-are-ever-rising-and-falling-and-in-perpetual/) [Wilhelm von Humboldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-von-humboldt/) > [If you find your feet dragging, check your path. 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