It is OK to decline a game with someone if they are too hard to beat?

Let me explain. I go to a chess club every Tuesday evening, and there are 2 really good players there that keep insisting that I play them. Up until today, I accepted out of good manners and not wanting to upset them.

However, it's now getting to the point where I really hate playing them, because I know that it is very unlikely that I will draw against them, let alone win. It just isn't fun to play them. Tonight, I snapped after losing a game to each of them, and said that I didn't want to play them anymore. Thankfully, they understood my frustration, but I regret losing my temper and I didn't mean to come across the way I did.

You could argue that playing better players helps you to improve, but I just don't feel as if I am improving. I want to play people at my skill level, because it is more fun, enjoyable and beneficial for both people involved.

What do you think?

Yes, it's fine.

It is absolutely fine. 

Just like you won't improve playing somebody way weaker than you, you won't improve either playing somebody who is way stronger than you are. 

Try studying tactics, strategies for few months and then play them again and see if you are more competitive. Or you can kindly ask them for some advice to improve your game. 

Absolutely it's okay. It probably would've better though had you politely explained that to them in the first place. Any reasonable person would understand and maybe even offer to help you improve. It kinda sucks they had to find out the hard way that you find it frustrating to play them.  

Edit: I just wanted to add that I too enjoy playing people of my own strength. Nothing wrong with it at all. 

I know - as I said in my initial post, I regretted losing my temper - chess is only a game after all. But chess can be frustrating, and we all get angry over stupid stuff sometimes.

Lemmi say this, sure its fine. Nobody wants to get ripped off after realized there's no way out.

Then better resign and run away

I don't think you learn much by playing someone a LOT better than you and if there is choce at the club and you can play a more evenly matched game you should do that.

With that said, I have been repeatedly challenged to back to back correspondence games against someone who is now 450 rating points below me on here from work. I expect to win every match, but he's about to win his second game against me (2/18). Upsets can happen.

Depends a lot on their attitude. I'd happily lose over and over if I was getting advice and coaching after each game pointing out where I gave it away. If they were being smug then I probably would rather play someone else, and I think generally its better to play different people than the same over and over.

I'm perfectly fine playing people better than me, just not people a LOT better than me.

It's interesting how people have different points of view on uneven match-ups in chess. Now that I think about it, my dad and best friend stopped playing chess with me a long time ago because I'm a lot better than them, and I'm totally fine with that. I can see why some people wouldn't be though.

That's pretty sweet, Q21C

I was 15-0 down to Naka in a blitz session not long ago. This was despite having had several really great positions, and a few weeks before I'd even resigned one game in a won position, and blown another one with a premove (facepalm). I was feeling totally demoralised. I said in chat 'ggs': 'five more games' he scolded. I think he wanted to get over 3000 or 3100 or whatever. Of course he won those games as well. So yeah at some stage it becomes pointless. Of course it's OK.

GM Hikaru: Next Game. 

I hear what you're saying, Gamificast. I don't like get it handed to me by a much stronger opponent. By anybody for that matter lol. It makes you feel like the studying you put in over the years was all for naught and you're aren't improving. I like to keep it within a couple hundred points both ways. It nice to play and win a tough game against a stronger opponent, and it's nice to play a strong game against a weaker opponent now and then. 

I think you and I might be somewhat evenly matched, Gamificast. If you have the time, please feel free to send me a challenge.  

lol, yep

 lol well they're not quite in the same league as Naka, are they. They're not opponents I consider untouchable

Naka is on a different planet to those guys

 I'm with you!! There was a 2400 IM at the club that I went to a few years back that I did not like playing...if they are too far above you, you don't really get much out of it....luckily we had some 1700-1900 players too that I loved to play and got a lot out of....

Of course it's always great to get beaten down by the true greats but still, I can sympathise with the OP. Fine to decline.