Poker is a card game that puts your analytical, mathematical and interpersonal skills to the test. It also indirectly teaches life lessons.

One important lesson is that good and bad hands are relative. A hand is only good or bad in relation to what the other players are holding. For example, a pair of kings is a strong hand but it can lose to an A-A flop 82% of the time. This is because the other player will try to “play the player” and make a bluff bet against yours.

A good poker player must be able to focus and concentrate for long periods of time, even while under pressure. This is necessary to be able to recognise tells and other subtle body language clues.

In addition, a good poker player must be able to think critically and logically to count out their chips, and develop a firm strategy for their next move. This is because you cannot win poker based on chances or guesses.

The game of poker teaches people to control their emotions. This is an important skill because in the real world there are many situations when unfiltered anger and stress could have negative consequences. Poker also teaches people to control their emotions at the poker table by not showing how they are feeling, and not allowing themselves to become overly excited when they have a good hand.