Poker is a card game where players bet on the strength of their hand. The highest-ranked hand wins the pot, which is all the chips that have been bet during a round. There may be side pots in addition to the main pot, which are created when one player goes all in and other players call or raise their bets. The dealer is responsible for distributing the chips from the main pot into these side pots.

Although poker is a game of chance, the best players are skilled at estimating probabilities and making decisions under uncertainty. This skill can also be useful in everyday life, particularly when it comes to making financial decisions.

A good poker player will know when to fold a weak hand, and they will raise their bets on strong hands in order to price out other players. They will also be able to read other players’ body language and identify tells, which are the nervous habits that players often display in a poker game such as fiddling with their chips.

In addition to improving mental and physical endurance, regular poker play can help develop focus and concentration. Furthermore, it can teach people how to deal with stress and make smarter decisions under pressure. In fact, a recent study showed that playing poker regularly could help prevent degenerative neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia. In addition, poker can also help improve a person’s decision-making skills by teaching them how to weigh the pros and cons of different options and strategies.