--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you can't cheat the game, you'd best…" description: "\"When you can't cheat the game, you'd best find a means to cheat the players.\" — Scott Lynch" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71c/scott-lynch-1437_cheat_when-you-can-t-cheat-the-game-you-d-best_2295279.png" --- # When you can't cheat the game, you'd best find a means to… ![“When you can't cheat the game, you'd best find a means to cheat the players.” quote by Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71c/scott-lynch-1437_cheat_when-you-can-t-cheat-the-game-you-d-best_2295279.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71c/scott-lynch-1437_cheat_when-you-can-t-cheat-the-game-you-d-best_2295279.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71c/scott-lynch-1437_cheat_when-you-can-t-cheat-the-game-you-d-best_2295279.png) > “When you can't cheat the game, you'd best find a means to cheat the players.” [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When rules are rigid, find creative ways to outmaneuver opponents rather than breaking the system. **In simple terms:** Find clever tactics when the game is unfair. Key Takeaway Adapt and outsmart the system. Themes strategy creativity ethics Mood cunning determined Type advice strategic When to use this quote - business competition - sports - politics - online gaming Key Concepts game theory social engineering Questions to Reflect On - How can you stay ethical while being clever? - What limits should be set on outsmarting opponents? A Different Perspective May encourage cheating or unfair advantage. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) [Games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) ## Related quotes > [“Cheat at this game.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-char/cheat-at-this-game/) [Rene Char](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-char/) > [You can't cheat the game. You can't cheat the grind. You get out what you put in at the end of the day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dababy/you-can-t-cheat-the-game-you-can-t-cheat-the-grind-you-get-out-what/) [DaBaby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dababy/) > [If he will cheat on her that means he will cheat on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyfe-jennings/if-he-will-cheat-on-her-that-means-he-will-cheat-on-you/) [Lyfe Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyfe-jennings/) > [“It means you can’t cheat Nature,” he says. “Nature demands variety, for men. It stands to reason, it’s part of the procreational strategy. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/it-means-you-can-t-cheat-nature-he-says-nature-demands-variety-for/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“Think of being 80 and fucking a 18 yeard old girl. If there was any way to cheat the game of death, that was it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/think-of-being-80-and-fucking-a-18-yeard-old-girl-if-there-was-any/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [If you cheat yourself in practice, you'll cheat yourself in a game; and if you cheat in a game, you'll cheat yourself for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-lombardi/if-you-cheat-yourself-in-practice-you-ll-cheat-yourself-in-a-game-and/) [Vince Lombardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-lombardi/) > [You figure they cheat at the ballpark, they'll cheat on the golf course, they'll cheat in business, and anything else in life. Players may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-feller/you-figure-they-cheat-at-the-ballpark-they-ll-cheat-on-the-golf/) [Bob Feller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-feller/) > [A curse on this game. How can you stick at a game when the rules keep on changing? I shall call myself Alice and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/a-curse-on-this-game-how-can-you-stick-at-a-game-when-the-rules-keep/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [I don't play golf competitively. I tell everybody that I cheat so they won't gamble with me. That's why you can't watch football. Everybody's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-don-t-play-golf-competitively-i-tell-everybody-that-i-cheat-so-they/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [They wanted me to lead these young players, teach them the way to compete, when the only thing I should be worried about is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-kinsler/they-wanted-me-to-lead-these-young-players-teach-them-the-way-to/) Ian Kinsler > [ The game \[football\] has moved on a lot but still, ask most players and they will tell you that pre-season isn't their favourite time… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-kazim-richards/the-game-football-has-moved-on-a-lot-but-still-ask-most-players-and/) [Colin Kazim-Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-kazim-richards/) > [The only thing I pay attention to with free throws is what a guy does in the final four minutes of a game. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calipari/the-only-thing-i-pay-attention-to-with-free-throws-is-what-a-guy-does/) [John Calipari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calipari/) > [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/) > [International friendly games are not worth the lives of the silk worms who perish to make the pennants. They do not even have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-baker/international-friendly-games-are-not-worth-the-lives-of-the-silk/) [Danny Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-baker/) > [And I have been very blessed, having coached some of the greatest that have ever played the game. But if I had to start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/and-i-have-been-very-blessed-having-coached-some-of-the-greatest-that/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) ## More by Scott Lynch > [“Please, boy. Let’s not start out with either of us insulting the other’s intelligence. There are only three people in life you can never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/please-boy-let-s-not-start-out-with-either-of-us-insulting-the-other/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“Gentlemen Bastards." hissed Locke, "do not abandon one another, and we do not run when we owe vengeance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/gentlemen-bastards-hissed-locke-do-not-abandon-one-another-and-we-do/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“Ha! Yes. When anyone tells you habits die hard, Locke, they’re lying—it seems they never die at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/ha-yes-when-anyone-tells-you-habits-die-hard-locke-they-re-lying-it/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“ESPARA, FORMERLY a seat of prestige only one step below Therim Pel itself, had descended from its imperial years the way some men and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/espara-formerly-a-seat-of-prestige-only-one-step-below-therim-pel/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [Advice,' Doña Vorchenza chuckled. 'Advice. The years play a sort of alchemical trick, transmuting one's mutterings to a state of respectability. Give advice at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/advice-do-a-vorchenza-chuckled-advice-the-years-play-a-sort-of/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“Ibelius," said Jean. "If what Locke is doing were lurking about, corpses could be acrobats.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/ibelius-said-jean-if-what-locke-is-doing-were-lurking-about-corpses/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [Any man can fart in a closed room and say that he commands the wind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/any-man-can-fart-in-a-closed-room-and-say-that-he-commands-the-wind/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“What an interesting choice of words. “Not real, and never were.” Could there be any more appropriate literature for men of our profession? Why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/what-an-interesting-choice-of-words-not-real-and-never-were-could/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“Why were all his fantasies so calamitous for that table, which had done him no injury?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/why-were-all-his-fantasies-so-calamitous-for-that-table-which-had/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“I more proudly take a speck from a man with empty pockets,” said Sabetha, “than riches from a man whose purse stays heavy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/i-more-proudly-take-a-speck-from-a-man-with-empty-pockets-said/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“He was bewildered at how quickly he had escaped his old life and fallen into this new one with strangely pleasant crazy people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/he-was-bewildered-at-how-quickly-he-had-escaped-his-old-life-and/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [I think piracy is a bit like drinking. You want to stay out all night doing it, you pay the price the next day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/i-think-piracy-is-a-bit-like-drinking-you-want-to-stay-out-all-night/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“That's a sweet piece," said Jean, briefly forgetting to be aggravated. "You didn't snatch that off a street." "No," said Locke, before taking another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/that-s-a-sweet-piece-said-jean-briefly-forgetting-to-be-aggravated/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“But time’s a river, Locke, and we’ve always drifted farther down it than we think.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/but-time-s-a-river-locke-and-we-ve-always-drifted-farther-down-it/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“I understand, my lord. I…don’t wish to embarrass you again.” “Embarrass me? Jean, you misunderstand.” Maranzalla kicked idly at the toy rapier, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/i-understand-my-lord-i-don-t-wish-to-embarrass-you-again-embarrass-me/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) [Explore all 241 Scott Lynch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) ## More Cheat quotes > [You can't cheat comedy. You know, it either is going to be there on the day you capture or it's not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lin/you-can-t-cheat-comedy-you-know-it-either-is-going-to-be-there-on-the/) [Justin Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lin/) > [I'm not a cheat. I'm not a diver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-young/i-m-not-a-cheat-i-m-not-a-diver/) [Ashley Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-young/) > [The concept of humanity is an especially useful ideological instrument of imperialist expansion, and in its ethical-humanitarian form it is a specific vehicle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-schmitt/the-concept-of-humanity-is-an-especially-useful-ideological/) [Carl Schmitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-schmitt/) > [Even with cheat codes, you can't get on my level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/even-with-cheat-codes-you-can-t-get-on-my-level/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“As they say in New York, Get over it and, if you can't get over it, Get over talking about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-keyes/as-they-say-in-new-york-get-over-it-and-if-you-can-t-get-over-it-get/) [Marian Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-keyes/) > [I hated myself totally white. So now I cheat. It's my white hair, and I put color there. My grandson says I'm punk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-hated-myself-totally-white-so-now-i-cheat-it-s-my-white-hair-and-i/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [“Some people will lie, cheat, steal and back-stab to to get ahead...and to think, all they have to do is READ!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fortune/some-people-will-lie-cheat-steal-and-back-stab-to-to-get-ahead-and-to/) Fortune > [“If love was a game, a lot of people would cheat to win, but little would play it the right way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-gabryelle-dos-santos/if-love-was-a-game-a-lot-of-people-would-cheat-to-win-but-little/) Amanda gabryelle dos santos > [“Rock-Paper-Scissors for it.” “But you always cheat,” Blake whined. “And then you just punch me and growl that ‘rock beats face’.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-adams/rock-paper-scissors-for-it-but-you-always-cheat-blake-whined-and-then/) [Kyle Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-adams/) > [“The human race, to which so many of my readers belong, has been playing at children's games from the beginning, and will probably do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/the-human-race-to-which-so-many-of-my-readers-belong-has-been-playing/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [I dont play when it comes to being unfaithful. You cheat, you get no second chance & you lost the best thing that ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-dont-play-when-it-comes-to-being-unfaithful-you-cheat-you-get-no/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Then they're like addicts; they can't help themselves... They will steal, cheat, embezzle and commit other crimes just to get money to gamble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-warren-kindt/then-they-re-like-addicts-they-can-t-help-themselves-they-will-steal/) [John Warren Kindt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-warren-kindt/) > [There can never be such a thing as a free market, because it is human nature to cheat, monopolize, and buy off others so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-smiley/there-can-never-be-such-a-thing-as-a-free-market-because-it-is-human/) [Jane Smiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-smiley/) > [If you can't count, they can cheat you. If you can't read, they can beat you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/if-you-can-t-count-they-can-cheat-you-if-you-can-t-read-they-can-beat/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [People still cheat on their wives, that hasn't fallen out of fashion. We all speak of it badly, but it has not fallen out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kareem-abdul-jabbar/people-still-cheat-on-their-wives-that-hasn-t-fallen-out-of-fashion/) [Kareem Abdul-Jabbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kareem-abdul-jabbar/) Browse all 1,132 Cheat quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you can't cheat the game, you'd best find a means to cheat the players.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Scott Lynch" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/when-you-can-t-cheat-the-game-you-d-best-find-a-means-to-cheat-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cheat" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/when-you-can-t-cheat-the-game-you-d-best-find-a-means-to-cheat-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71c/scott-lynch-1437_cheat_when-you-can-t-cheat-the-game-you-d-best_2295279.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71c/scott-lynch-1437_cheat_when-you-can-t-cheat-the-game-you-d-best_2295279.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71c/scott-lynch-1437_cheat_when-you-can-t-cheat-the-game-you-d-best_2295279.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you can't cheat the game, you'd best find a means to cheat the players.” — Scott Lynch", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Scott Lynch", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When you can't cheat the game,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/when-you-can-t-cheat-the-game-you-d-best-find-a-means-to-cheat-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/when-you-can-t-cheat-the-game-you-d-best-find-a-means-to-cheat-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```