The Life Lessons You Learn at the Poker Table

Poker is a game that puts your analytical, mathematical and interpersonal skills to the test. It is also a game that indirectly teaches many life lessons.

For instance, poker teaches you to read other players by learning their tells (eye movements, idiosyncrasies, hand gestures and betting behavior). It teaches you to understand how odds work and use them to your advantage, which can help you make better decisions at the table and in real life. And, it teaches you to always have a reason for every move you make at the poker table – whether it’s a check, raise or fold. Emotional control is another skill you learn at the poker table and can apply to your everyday life. You must stay calm and focused in a pressure-filled environment at the poker table, so you can analyze your situation and think through your decisions.

Lastly, poker also teaches you to think in terms of probabilities and ratios, which is a skill that can be used in other areas of your life, such as investing or sports. This type of thinking can be applied to many other situations in your life, including deciding what to study, how much time to spend on it and when to move all in or fold.