Poker is a card game in which players make a hand based on the ranking of their cards. They compete to form the highest-ranking hand and win the pot at the end of each betting round. The pot is the sum of all bets made by each player. There are a number of ways to win the pot, including making a high-ranking hand and betting heavily.

Each betting round starts when a player puts in chips or cash into the pot. Then, each player to their left must either “call” that amount (put in the same amount of money as the previous player) or raise it by putting more than that into the pot. A player can also fold, which means they stop betting and leave the pot.

A good poker player needs to be able to read his or her opponents and understand their intentions. This requires concentration and focus. Poker also helps hone observational skills, such as picking up on tells and subtle changes in body language.

Poker is a game of uncertainty, so it’s important to be able to make decisions under pressure. Whether in poker or finance, this involves first estimating the probabilities of different events and scenarios, then choosing the best action to take. This skill can be applied to many aspects of life, such as learning to cope with loss and dealing with stress.