Poker is a card game of strategy and risk-taking, usually played between two players but also in groups. It requires a combination of luck, strategic thinking and reading other players’ body language to win. While there are many different variations of the game, they all share some similarities. The goal of poker is to have the highest-ranking five-card hand at the end of a betting round.

To begin a hand, 2 cards are dealt face down to each player. Then there is a round of betting, initiated by mandatory bets called blinds placed into the pot by the players to the left of the dealer.

A player may choose to stay in the pot by matching the stakes of the player before them, or they can raise their bet and try to outbid other players for the best possible hand. If no other player calls their bet, they win the pot. Players may also bluff, placing a bet that they have the best hand when they don’t.

Self-made billionaire Jenny Just, 54, says that learning to play poker has taught her about the value of taking risks. She says that while it’s important to have a healthy amount of safety in life, pursuing it too often results in missing opportunities where a moderate risk could yield big rewards. Developing that comfort with risk-taking takes time and patience. But Just says it’s worth it. ”The lessons are transferable to every aspect of my life,” she says.