Poker is a card game where players compete for an amount of money or chips contributed by the players themselves. The players attempt to control the amount of money in the pot based on the hand they are holding and on their prediction as to what their opponents may be holding and how they might behave.

Unlike a sport, poker is not always fair and the player can lose money if they make bad decisions. This is why it is important to constantly review your results and adjust your play accordingly.

Strategy

The key to becoming a great poker player is to create your own unique strategy. This can be achieved through detailed self-examination, whether you are taking notes or reviewing your hands and playing styles with others for an objective look at your strengths and weaknesses.

Ranges

Having an understanding of ranges is one of the most important skills to learn. While new players are prone to tunnel vision when it comes to their own hand, more experienced players will go through the entire selection of possible hands their opponent could have and work out how likely it is that they can beat them.

Mental Toughness

A good poker player will be able to overcome the odds and win a lot of games. This requires mental toughness, as well as getting dealt a lot of good hands from Lady Luck.

Losses shouldn’t crush your confidence, as it is the nature of the game. Especially in high stakes games, losing is not uncommon.