Poker is a strategic game where players work with incomplete information. You have two cards and five community cards to make a “hand.” The goal is to win the pot by making the best possible hand with these cards. Every action you make (folding, calling or raising) gives away bits of information to your opponents that help them build a story about you and your strength.

As a result, good poker players are skilled at evaluating a situation and making a decision using logic and reasoning skills. They never make decisions based on emotion or gut instinct and always weigh the pros and cons of their options. They are also able to look at a situation from different angles and find solutions that would not have occurred to them on their own.

Another important skill is analyzing your opponent’s range of hands. This means considering all of the hands they could have and estimating how likely it is that your hand will beat theirs. It is critical to understand this concept before you decide whether to call a bet or fold.

Finally, poker is a great way to learn how to control your emotions. Keeping your cool and acting calm in stressful situations is essential to success in poker, as well as life in general. Good poker players are able to take a step back from the situation, analyze what went wrong and come up with a strategy to improve next time.