Poker is a card game that is played by players in turn, with each player betting chips into the pot according to their own preferences. A player may either “call” (put in the same amount as a previous bet) or raise their bet, or they may simply fold, losing any chips they have put into the pot to date.
As with all games of incomplete information, making decisions under uncertainty is key. You can’t know what cards your opponents are holding, how they will bet with those cards and which cards you will see next, so you must first estimate the probabilities of different outcomes. This is called a “mental model”.
Having a good mental model is key to playing well, whether you’re at home or in a casino. It helps you to understand what your opponents are thinking and how to read their tells. This, in turn, allows you to better anticipate how your opponent will play, and to avoid bluffing against them.