Poker is a game of skill and strategy. It puts a player’s analytical, mathematical and interpersonal skills to the test and can be used as a vehicle for learning valuable life lessons.

Observing other players and picking up on their tells is an essential facet of the game. This can be done by observing their eye movements, body language, betting patterns and even idiosyncrasies. A good poker player is able to read and recognise the tells of their opponents and make the right adjustments accordingly. This requires a great deal of concentration and focus but can lead to huge rewards in the long run.

Once the initial forced bets (known as blinds) are placed into the pot there is a round of betting that starts with the players to the left of the dealer. When it is your turn to bet you say “call” or “I call” meaning you are calling the amount of money the player before you raised.

After a few rounds of betting the cards are revealed and whoever has the best hand wins. A full house contains 3 matching cards of one rank and 2 matching cards of another rank, a flush contains 5 consecutive cards of the same suit and a straight contains 5 cards that skip around in rank but are from the same suits.

A good poker player is able to take the knocks of losing and learn from them. This is a valuable lesson that can be applied to other aspects of life and helps players become more resilient in general.