Poker is a card game that requires strategic thinking and planning in order to win. Although the outcome of any individual hand significantly involves chance, poker players make long-run expectations based on probability, psychology and game theory. Over time, this translates to better risk assessment skills and a more accurate understanding of frequencies and EV estimation.

Poker also improves working memory, as the game requires you to remember a large number of different information points at once. This also helps with evaluating risks and making decisions in other areas of your life.

Another important skill poker teaches you is how to read people. The ability to spot tells, or body language clues that a player is stressed or bluffing, is useful in all aspects of life. This can help you make better sales, negotiate more effectively and even improve your performance in public speaking situations.

Finally, poker teaches you how to handle failure. A good poker player knows that sometimes you’re going to lose, and you can’t get upset about it. Instead, you can learn from your mistakes and use them as a tool to improve the next time around. This is a useful skill in all aspects of life, and it reflects well on your resilience and maturity.