Poker is a card game in which players make wagers without knowing the outcome. The goal is to have the best hand of five cards. There are usually several betting intervals, and the winning hand takes the pot. Some games also include high-low splits, in which the highest and lowest hands divide the pot.

At the beginning of a betting interval, one or more players are forced to place bets, which are called “calls.” Each player must put into the pot at least as many chips as the player before them (unless they are raising). Then the dealer shuffles the cards, and each player receives two personal cards, followed by a community card deal. Depending on the game, you may be allowed to draw replacement cards for your own cards.

You say “call” to match the last person’s bet. If they raise their bet, you say “raise.” If you have a strong hand, you should try to force weaker hands out of the pot. Often, you will be able to do this by bluffing.

Risk-taking is a key skill to develop, and it’s important to be comfortable with some failure. Just cites her time as an options trader in Chicago, where she learned to manage risk by taking small risks at lower stakes. She says that even some of those risks were bad, but the experience built her comfort with risk. She advises new players to take a lot of smaller risks, sooner, so that they get used to the concept of failing at some point.