Poker is a game of chance and luck, but it’s also an exercise in strategic thinking. The game requires a great deal of observation as players must pay close attention to the cards, other players’ betting behaviour and their body language. This is a valuable skill that can be applied to other areas of life such as business and sports.

In poker, the goal is to form the best possible hand based on the cards you’re dealt in order to win the “pot”, or total amount of money bet by all players in each round. You can claim the pot by either having a high-ranking poker hand or bluffing your opponents into calling your bets.

A timeless business adage states that you can’t manage what you don’t measure. Poker allows you to develop a deep understanding of odds and expectations, which will allow you to make better decisions in any situation that you encounter. This is a critical ability for entrepreneurs as they must often decide with incomplete information and rely on intuition to make important business decisions.

Another benefit of learning to play poker is that it improves your concentration. Poker requires a great deal of observation as you must be able to read the other players at the table, including their body language and tells. Learning to watch other players can help you spot bluffs and recognise idiosyncrasies in their playing style, which may give you a distinct advantage over your competitors.