Poker is a game of skill and chance that involves betting in order to win a pot, the sum of all bets placed on a single hand. It is a card game that can be played with 2 to 14 players, though the ideal number of players is 6. Each player places an ante into the pot before the cards are dealt and may raise their bets as they wish. The object of the game is to win the pot by showing a winning poker hand, but the game can also be won by making a bet that no other players call.
As in life, the most successful players are those who rely on their own skills rather than that of their opponents. Winning poker relies on understanding the odds, escaping the sunk cost trap and a commitment to learning and improvement. In the same way, success in business focuses on identifying where you have a positive edge, measuring your odds, trusting your instincts and committing to constant learning and improvement.
It is easy to be cynical about poker, to treat it with contempt, to see it as a mere money-making machine. However, poker can be so much more than that if you approach it with dignity and respect. It can be an arena for self-mastery, a rite of passage, a test of endurance and strength. If you approach it with those values, poker can be an invaluable teacher of patience, fortitude and thoughtfulness.