Poker is a gambling game in which players place bets into a pot, and the highest hand wins. Players must ante something (amount varies by game) to get their cards dealt, and then place additional bets during the course of each hand based on the value of their current holdings. Poker teaches players how to make decisions under uncertainty by weighing the risk against the potential reward for each bet they consider. This is a useful skill in any field that requires decision-making under uncertainty, such as business, finance and even real life!
The game also teaches players how to read people, as they must assess their opponents’ body language to determine whether they are telling the truth or bluffing. This is a useful skill that can be applied in both personal and professional lives, as it helps people to understand how others are feeling and thinking, and can be used to improve one’s interpersonal skills.
Finally, poker is an inherently social game, and it is widely recognised that being around like-minded people is incredibly healthy for one’s mental health. This is especially true of poker, where players regularly interact with other players to chat about the game and try to bait their opponents’ tells. This teaches communication and social skills, as well as helping to lower stress levels. Consistently playing poker can even help to rewire the brain with new neural pathways, which could delay degenerative neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s.