Poker is a game of cards that puts your analytical, mathematical and interpersonal skills to the test. It also pushes your decision-making abilities in the right direction, and improves your critical thinking. It’s not uncommon for players to bluff and sandbag other players in a poker game, which can make for some interesting situations. However, it is important to not take this personally and not let a bluff get to you.

The first step to making smart decisions in poker (or anything else, really) is to evaluate the odds. You cannot know what other players will do with their hands, how they will bet or play them, so you must estimate what different scenarios might happen. This type of estimating is called thinking in bets, and it’s one of the most important things you can learn from playing poker.

Each player in a poker game buys into the pot with a set amount of chips. Usually, a white chip is worth the minimum ante or bet; a red chip is worth five whites; and a blue chip is worth 10 or 25 whites. These chips are passed around the table clockwise after each hand.

A poker hand is made up of two cards known as hole cards, and a community card dealt in stages (three, aka the flop, and then an additional single card called the turn or river). The highest-ranking hand is a royal flush, which includes a King, Jack, Queen and Ace of the same suit.