Poker is a card game that involves betting on the strength of your hand. Players make bets in turn, starting with the player to their left. Eventually, one player will have all the chips and win the pot. The game is fast-paced and requires a high level of focus.

One of the most important skills that poker teaches is how to assess risk versus reward and manage your bankroll. It also teaches patience, as there can be long periods of waiting for good cards. These are skills that will serve you well in business and life.

Another skill that poker teaches is how to read other players and pick up on their tells, or unconscious habits that reveal information about their hands. Tells can be as simple as fiddling with their chips or as complex as body language or facial expressions. Learning to read these tells can give you an advantage over your opponents and improve your ability to play the game.

A final skill that poker teaches is how to decide under uncertainty. This is an essential skill in finance, poker and many other areas of life. To decide under uncertainty, you first need to estimate the probabilities of different scenarios and events.