Poker is a card game that involves betting and the development of a strategy to maximise your chances of winning. The game is played using chips, usually white and colored, with each chip worth a specific amount (the minimum ante or bet, for example). Each round of betting lasts until all players have either called, checked, folded or made an all-in bet.
Before dealing the cards, players place an initial amount into the pot, based on their position at the table. These are known as antes, blinds or bring-ins and depend on the game type.
Once all the players have placed their bets, they are dealt their cards and a showdown begins. The player with the best poker hand wins the pot. If there is a tie, the pot is split amongst the players with a good Poker hand.
Poker is not a game for temperamental people, but it can help you learn to control your emotions. It can also teach you to recognise the emotional state of your opponents, so that you can plan your strategy accordingly.
I really recommend Maria Konnikova’s book, The Biggest Bluff. It’s a great read, both as a memoir and as a meditation on luck and uncertainty and how that can shape our lives.