Poker is a game that is primarily chance, but the psychology and strategy make it more than just a simple card game. There is a high degree of risk attached to any hand in poker, but the probability of getting a good hand can be estimated with reasonable accuracy. This makes it possible to make money in the long run.

In poker, players place chips in a pot (representing money) to indicate their willingness to play. These bets are compulsory for all players and must be made before any cards are dealt. There are several betting intervals, depending on the rules of the poker variant being played.

The player to the left of the button has the privilege or obligation to bet first during a betting interval. This player must make a bet equal to or higher than the bet of the person before him, in order to participate in the hand.

A flush is a 5-card hand consisting of matching cards in rank and sequence. A straight is 5 cards in consecutive ranks, all from the same suit. A pair is two distinct cards of the same rank. The highest card breaks ties.

The goal is to extract maximum value from your winning hands, and minimise losses on losing ones. This is known as ‘MinMax’ and is the central tenet of successful poker. It is also a philosophy that can be applied to many other areas of life, such as job interviews and business dealings.