Poker is a card game that requires a great deal of attention to the behavior and expressions of other players. This is because it is important not to let your emotions leak out in the heat of the moment. If your opponents can read your mood through your face or body language then you will lose the game. This is a valuable lesson in life too because unfiltered emotion can lead to stress, anger and anxiety which can have negative consequences. Learning how to control your emotions through poker will help you in many situations in life.
The game of poker involves building the best possible hand based on the cards you are dealt and winning the pot at the end of each betting round. Each player puts in an amount of money into the pot before they see their hand and can raise or fold depending on their hand. Saying call means you are raising the same amount as the person to your right, saying fold is throwing your cards away and saying hit is asking for another card from the dealer.
Poker also involves knowing the basic rules of poker such as what hands beat what. This can be learned through memorization and observation. Pay attention to the way experienced players react at the table and try to emulate their style to build your own instincts. This will allow you to play the game more efficiently and avoid making mistakes like slowplaying a strong value hand or getting caught by your opponents bluffs.