I've been playing Splendor with my boyfriend, John the past couple of weeks and he always wins. The one time I won, he made a passing remark about the winning move that I almost missed. My insecure yet proud brain thought that he gave the game away. He did not. Since then we joke about how I'll never be satisfied with winning against him. That I will always require him to bring it on in every game, otherwise my hypothetical wins would be a fluke.
In the early days of our relationship, I'd be annoyed when John wouldn't acknowledge my masculine qualities. He'd sing me praises for being sweet and delicate, but I also wanted to be adored for being straightforward and firm.
These game dates are a magical addition to our routine. We get to engage our competitive side (we're both Stars, according to our Wealth Dynamics Profiles) and be intellectually intimate. Losing sucks, but winning against a dumb opponent is no fun, and winning against a patronizing boyfriend is downright despicable.
