Dots...not a good idea: Competitiveness in Relationships

[Lunar Snow]

So, I decided it would be cute to start playing games together online and our first match-up has been delayed by a few days, but is finally happening. I still think that is a good idea, I just have to re-read some of the other options and maybe find something more cooperative (and maybe this should be in the Things to Do section, but this is more about my rant, if anything)...and maybe not let him pick this time. Well, we are still playing, but I am starting to make dumb moves on purpose, just so I can go to bed!

We're playing a game on Yahoo that I played as a child, but I think my Mom often helped me quite a bit. I consider myself to be an intelligent person, but I forgot that I was playing against a freaking math and spatial reasoning genius fuelled on coffee. Plus, for the majority of the game, I was squinting at the game board, developing a monster headache, and finally was convinced to put my reading glasses on which has magnified things (but I am not used to wearing them with the computer and kind of avoid wearing them other times...so I feel really, really dizzy trying to get used to them). HA! We just finished and he said "good game" (I should add that he didn't just defeat me, but slammed me into the ground). Pahahaha! Okay, so now I am grumpy and kind of put out. I'm not going to be a big baby about it to him or even let on much that I'm annoyed (I know, I'm sorry to be off-loading my grumpiness on the forum), but I can be pretty competitive and I feel like that just made my day suck all the more...when talking to him and doing things together should be pleasant (tiffs with parents, friends are seriously ill, and my rabbit now ate the cord for the mouse on my desktop computer, as well as one of the house computers...a follow-up to him eating the charger cord for my cell...all of which I don't have the money to replace right now). Graghhh!!! Sorry, needed to vent.

Do you ever get too competitive with your SO over something (and what is that something)?

How do you find that competitiveness impacts your relationship? (e.g. makes things more spicy and exciting...or, in my case, is rather divisive).

[LadyMarchHare]

Sounds like what's going to happen when I try to learn chess. XD He loves chess, I've never learned how to play, I have a feeling I'll be eating pawns.

We both enjoy being right a bit too much and when we get into debates about things, especially psychological, he tends to whip my butt and enjoys telling me I'm wrong and showing me why. So I get red in the face and usually talk myself into a corner. Other times I've 'broken his brain' where he can't think of any witty retort or anything to add on to what I've said if/when he agrees and he pouts. It doesn't spark fights and we get over it but it's kinda like trying to see who gets to be Alpha and STAY Alpha in the relationship based on who can outwit the other with facts and logic. Course me I'm a sadomasochist so the aggravation is actually fun for me as well as annoying the everloving crap out of him.

[folclor]

Awws. No, Alex and I are not very competitive. ^^;; well, I think only if it comes to attention of someone of the opposite gender. Like when I was up there it made me feel uncomfortable with him hanging out with girls and one time a guy was looking me over and he got annoyed (thought not at me). ^^; But, no, at games neither of us are competitive. We played minigolf at the mall and both sucked majorly at it >w< but it was fun. Then I'll watch him play games a lot of times. I'm a light gamer and he's a borderline addict. ^^; lol

[Silviar]

My boyfriend and I are both competitive, so occasionally it bumps and we get kind of one-upmanship, but for the most part we tend to take it in stride and try to not do things that pit us outrageously against one another. XD Plus he looks so pathetic when I whip his tush at Scrabble.

[Casper]

My girlfriend and I usually play games on xbox live together- mostly we play cooperatively, but we have tried playing against each other a couple of times... didn't turn out too well. She found herself feeling a little too competitive and we ended up not having much fun. I think we'll stick to co-op ;]

[paulawriteslove]

Our competitiveness spices up our relationship. We don't get too competitive, which is good