Avoiding tilt in Artifact - why taking a break after a loss is a good idea

Anybody who gambles, particularly anyone who plays poker, is familiar with the term "tilt." Someone gets on tilt in poker when he loses a hand, becomes frustrated, and proceeds to play the next hand carelessly. This may mean making a big bet when he has a bad hand or calling someone when he would normally fold.
From wikipedia:

Tilt is a poker term for a state of mental or emotional confusion or frustration in which a player adopts a less than optimal strategy, usually resulting in the player becoming over-aggressive.

I believe someone can get on tilt in competitive games, such as Artifact, too. I have experienced tilt when I lose a close draft game and then play a game immediately afterwards without taking time to shake off the loss. As a result, I play the subsequent game less effectively than I normally would.

Axe on tilt

I find that the best way to shake off tilt in Artifact is the same as shaking it off in poker - do something to take your mind off the game. From the wikipedia article:

Once tilt begins, players are well-advised to leave the table and return when emotions have subsided. When away from the table, players are advised to take time to refresh themselves, eat and drink (non-alcoholic) if necessary, and take a break outside in the fresh air.

This may mean adjusting your expectations for how much time you actually spend playing Artifact on a daily/weekly basis. If you're like me, however, you'll get the greatest enjoyment out of Artifact when playing a good game and winning. If this means I play 1-2 games a day instead of 3+ games then so be it, at least I won't be on tilt.