Whether you play poker casually with friends, or enter the world’s biggest tournaments, the game challenges and trains your mind. The strategic thinking and decision-making required to succeed in poker can help you handle stress and make better decisions in real-life situations.

The game is based on forming the highest ranking hand based on the cards that are dealt, and winning the pot – the sum of all bets placed by players during each round. The more hands you win, the bigger your reward. The game also requires the ability to read other players’ behaviour and pick up on their tells. A player’s tells can be anything from fiddling with their chips to a certain way of playing.

If a player is in early position and has a strong hand, they can say “raise” to add more money to the betting pool. This will force weaker hands out of the pot and increase the chances of a strong hand winning.

It is important to avoid going on tilt, which can lead to bad decisions and a big loss. If you feel that you are losing more than you can afford, step away from the table, take a break, and reset with a clear head before returning to play. This will keep you from trying to chase losses and making foolish bets that can ruin your whole session. In addition, setting a bankroll for each session and over the long term will help you avoid getting caught up in losing streaks.