The Feeling of Losing

Is it just me or is losing a game much more ego-crushing and depressing than the feeling of winning? When I win a game against a tough opponent, I feel happy for like 10 minutes then it wears off. But if I lose a game, that feeling can stay with me for the whole night!

Over the weekend, I played at the Eastern Open 2007 blitz tournament. Going to the last round, I won my match against GM Ivanov. Going into the last round leading the tournament, all I needed was to get 1 out of 2 in the match to win first place and $400. But I lost both of my games, and was up-on-the-wall the whole night! 

The demoralizing effect of one defeat (to me at least) is like the elation of winning 5 games.

Paolo