Poker is a card game that is played by two or more players. It can be a very intense game, but it is also a great way to build confidence in taking risks. This game can help you become more comfortable with risk-taking, which is an essential part of the investing process.

The goal of poker is to win the pot by putting your opponents on a range of hands and then exploiting that information. This can be done through a combination of betting, bluffing, and reading tells. Tells are unconscious habits that reveal information about a player’s hand. They can be as simple as fiddling with chips or wearing a ring. In addition, you can read other players by looking at their body language.

When it’s your turn to act, you can say “call” to match the last bet or raise. This will put money into the pot equal to the amount of the previous raiser. You can also say “raise” if you want to increase the size of the bet.

It’s important to know when to fold a bad hand. If you don’t have the cards to make a good hand, it is better to just fold than to keep throwing your money at it. Also, it’s a good idea to check when your opponent has a strong value hand. This will force them to raise, or at least call, and it will prevent you from wasting your money.