In chess, as in most sports, defending is more difficult than attacking. When you're attacking, and you're attack is running out of steam, you can always "throw

In chess, as in most sports, defending is more difficult than attacking. When you're attacking, and you're attack is running out of steam, you can always "throw some extra wood on the fire". When you're defending, one slip and you're lost. One should not underestimate the psychological impact of the above. Most players crumble under prolonged pressure. This not only applies to me (a mere 2000 FIDE rated player), but also to the (2700+) elite.