--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Chess is a contributor to net human…" description: "\"Chess is a contributor to net human unhappiness, since the pleasure of victory is greatly exceeded by the pain of defeat.\" — William Hartston" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/618/william-hartston-74733_chess_chess-is-a-contributor-to-net-human-unha_1455431.png" --- # Chess is a contributor to net human unhappiness, since the… ![“Chess is a contributor to net human unhappiness, since the pleasure of victory is greatly exceeded by the pain of defeat.” quote by William Hartston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/618/william-hartston-74733_chess_chess-is-a-contributor-to-net-human-unha_1455431.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/618/william-hartston-74733_chess_chess-is-a-contributor-to-net-human-unha_1455431.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/618/william-hartston-74733_chess_chess-is-a-contributor-to-net-human-unha_1455431.png) > “Chess is a contributor to net human unhappiness, since the pleasure of victory is greatly exceeded by the pain of defeat.” William Hartston ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Chess can cause more unhappiness than happiness because the pain of losing outweighs the joy of winning. **In simple terms:** Loss hurts more than win feels good. Key Takeaway Manage expectations and emotional impact of competition. Themes competition emotions victory defeat psychology Mood reflective analytical Type motivational psychological When to use this quote - tournaments - online gaming - educational settings - personal hobbies - team building Key Concepts risk reward resilience sportsmanship Questions to Reflect On - How do you handle defeat? - What lessons can loss teach? A Different Perspective It ignores benefits of strategic thinking and social interaction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chess/) [Contributors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contributors/) [Defeat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeat/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Humour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humour/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Sadness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sadness/) [Unhappiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unhappiness/) [Victory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victory/) ## Related quotes > [“Human unhappiness is evidence of our immortality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/human-unhappiness-is-evidence-of-our-immortality/) [Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/) > [I want to enjoy the full pleasure of our victory, but then turn to new things I hope to achieve in football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronaldo/i-want-to-enjoy-the-full-pleasure-of-our-victory-but-then-turn-to-new/) [Ronaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronaldo/) > [Happiness is not mostly pleasure, it is mostly victory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-emerson-fosdick/happiness-is-not-mostly-pleasure-it-is-mostly-victory/) [Harry Emerson Fosdick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-emerson-fosdick/) > [Happiness is not pleasure, it is victory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/happiness-is-not-pleasure-it-is-victory/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [Silence. All human unhappiness comes from not knowing how to stay quietly in a room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/silence-all-human-unhappiness-comes-from-not-knowing-how-to-stay/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [All human unhappiness comes from not facing reality squarely, exactly as it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/all-human-unhappiness-comes-from-not-facing-reality-squarely-exactly/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [“All of human unhappiness comes from one single thing: not knowing how to remain at rest in a room.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/all-of-human-unhappiness-comes-from-one-single-thing-not-knowing-how/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [In many cases, mathematics is an escape from reality. The mathematician finds his own monastic niche and happiness in pursuits that are disconnected from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-ulam/in-many-cases-mathematics-is-an-escape-from-reality-the-mathematician/) [Stanislaw Ulam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-ulam/) > [Because the character is a fiction, he's a composite of other contributors to the science that brought this enzyme therapy through the process. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-ford/because-the-character-is-a-fiction-he-s-a-composite-of-other/) [Harrison Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-ford/) > [Cigarette smoking is a significant contributor to global warming!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/cigarette-smoking-is-a-significant-contributor-to-global-warming/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [The same sports sayings seem to be used over and over again. If you have your own favorite sport saying and would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lynn-rajskub/the-same-sports-sayings-seem-to-be-used-over-and-over-again-if-you/) [Mary Lynn Rajskub](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lynn-rajskub/) > [The Washington Post said that 50% of the contributors of the Republican Party were Jewish and 70% of the Democratic Party. That's 2% and they control America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-duke/the-washington-post-said-that-50-of-the-contributors-of-the/) [David Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-duke/) > [As a result of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision, American democracy is being undermined by the ability of the Koch brothers and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/as-a-result-of-the-citizens-united-supreme-court-decision-american/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [“Contributors and distributors tend to do better at personal branding than takers and fakers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-lilly/contributors-and-distributors-tend-to-do-better-at-personal-branding/) [Ryan Lilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-lilly/) > [There is not enough self-consciousness about what a family can be, about what it can inherit from forbearers, and what new traditions it can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/there-is-not-enough-self-consciousness-about-what-a-family-can-be/) [Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/) ## More by William Hartston > [Chess is not something that drives people mad; it is something that keeps mad people sane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hartston/chess-is-not-something-that-drives-people-mad-it-is-something-that/) William Hartston > [Wilhelm Steinitz was the first man to appreciate the inherent logic behind the game of chess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hartston/wilhelm-steinitz-was-the-first-man-to-appreciate-the-inherent-logic/) William Hartston Explore all 3 William Hartston quotes ## More Chess quotes > [I have known many chess players, but among them there has been only one genius - Capablanca!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-lasker/i-have-known-many-chess-players-but-among-them-there-has-been-only/) [Emanuel Lasker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-lasker/) > [Real chessplayers think about chess more or less 24 hours a day. It is a passion and a fate that one has to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simen-agdestein/real-chessplayers-think-about-chess-more-or-less-24-hours-a-day-it-is/) Simen Agdestein > [It's interesting that the greatest minds of computer science, the founding fathers, like Alan Turing and Claude Shannon and Norbert Wiener, they all looked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/it-s-interesting-that-the-greatest-minds-of-computer-science-the/) [Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/) > [“Relationships are chess for women," he said. "They can see the whole board, plan way ahead. They're the queens, after all. We're the kings,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-lippman/relationships-are-chess-for-women-he-said-they-can-see-the-whole/) [Laura Lippman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-lippman/) > [The election of Trump threw the chess board up. The pieces are all over the place. That's upsetting to a lot of people, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-rubin/the-election-of-trump-threw-the-chess-board-up-the-pieces-are-all/) [Dave Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-rubin/) > [Playing for complications is an extreme measure that a player should adopt only when he cannot find a clear and logical plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-alekhine/playing-for-complications-is-an-extreme-measure-that-a-player-should/) [Alexander Alekhine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-alekhine/) > [“the shadows. “Why do you think they invented chess?” “He’s got you there,” said the captain, following Fletcher. Jake jogged slightly to catch up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-blake/the-shadows-why-do-you-think-they-invented-chess-he-s-got-you-there/) [Russell Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-blake/) > [ \[Photographer Julian Wasser\] had this great idea that I should play chess naked with Marcel Duchamp and it seem to be such a great… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-babitz/photographer-julian-wasser-had-this-great-idea-that-i-should-play/) [Eve Babitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-babitz/) > [Chess is a good mistress but a bad master.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-abrahams/chess-is-a-good-mistress-but-a-bad-master/) [Gerald Abrahams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-abrahams/) > [I am not some sort of freak. I might be very good at chess but I'm just a normal person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magnus-carlsen/i-am-not-some-sort-of-freak-i-might-be-very-good-at-chess-but-i-m/) [Magnus Carlsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magnus-carlsen/) > [Some sacrifices are sound; the rest are mine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-tal/some-sacrifices-are-sound-the-rest-are-mine/) [Mikhail Tal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-tal/) > [My parents were very supportive of my chess. When I got home after a game of chess, having missed school or something, they always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viswanathan-anand/my-parents-were-very-supportive-of-my-chess-when-i-got-home-after-a/) [Viswanathan Anand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viswanathan-anand/) > [Amberley excelled at chess - a mark, Watson, of a scheming mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/amberley-excelled-at-chess-a-mark-watson-of-a-scheming-mind/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [In high school, my sister went out with the captain of the chess team. My parents loved him... They figured that any guy that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-kiley/in-high-school-my-sister-went-out-with-the-captain-of-the-chess-team/) [Brian Kiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-kiley/) > [The King is a fighting piece. Use it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-steinitz/the-king-is-a-fighting-piece-use-it/) [Wilhelm Steinitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-steinitz/) [Browse all 2,003 Chess quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chess/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Chess is a contributor to net human unhappiness, since the pleasure of victory is greatly exceeded by the pain of defeat.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Hartston" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hartston/chess-is-a-contributor-to-net-human-unhappiness-since-the-pleasure-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Chess" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hartston/chess-is-a-contributor-to-net-human-unhappiness-since-the-pleasure-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/618/william-hartston-74733_chess_chess-is-a-contributor-to-net-human-unha_1455431.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/618/william-hartston-74733_chess_chess-is-a-contributor-to-net-human-unha_1455431.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/618/william-hartston-74733_chess_chess-is-a-contributor-to-net-human-unha_1455431.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Chess is a contributor to net human unhappiness, since the pleasure of victory is greatly exceeded by the…” — William Hartston", "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": "William Hartston", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hartston/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Chess is a contributor to net...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hartston/chess-is-a-contributor-to-net-human-unhappiness-since-the-pleasure-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hartston/chess-is-a-contributor-to-net-human-unhappiness-since-the-pleasure-of/#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 } } ] } ```