Chess is very dangerous if you're one of the pieces, although it's perfectly safe if you're one of the players (except in the life-size variant of Wizard's Chess in Harry Potter).
When I'm feeling churned up and bashed about by the world, it's because I'm sitting atop my own chess-pieces, so that, when they are threatened, I am frightened, when they are eliminated, I am injured.
The only solution is utter detachment.
My job is to play the moves I'm told to play without identifying with the pieces on the board or the outcome of the game.