Poker is a game of cards, strategy and chance. While some people think it’s all about luck, the truth is that poker is a game of skill that can be learned by anyone willing to put in the time and effort. In fact, playing poker has been shown to have a number of cognitive benefits. Here are some of them:
Decision-making
When you play poker, you’re constantly making decisions and weighing the risks and rewards of each one. This can help you become more comfortable with risk-taking and improve your ability to make sound judgments under pressure — skills that are invaluable in both business and life.
Reading others
Poker requires a deep understanding of how to read other players, which can be learned through studying their actions and body language. While some of this can be based on subtle physical poker tells, most of it comes from patterns. For example, if someone is raising and calling a lot, it’s likely they have strong hands. On the other hand, if they’re folding a lot, they probably have weak hands.
Resilience
A good poker player will never chase a bad hand. They will take their losses in stride and learn from them. This can help you develop resilience in other areas of your life as well, including personal relationships and work performance. It also teaches you how to manage risk. While poker is a skill-based game, it’s still gambling and you can lose money, so knowing how to limit your risk is essential.