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

One of the biggest lessons is learning how to make decisions under uncertainty. In poker, just like in business and even in your personal life, you will often be forced to decide without all the information. This requires estimating the probabilities of different scenarios and events that can occur in order to determine which decision is the best one to make.

Another lesson is to learn how to be patient and not to get discouraged when you’re losing a hand. Experienced players know that chasing losses will only cost them more than they can afford to lose, so they fold and move on. This resilience can help you keep your emotions in check at other times in your life as well.

Poker also teaches you how to read your opponents and recognize their tells, which will improve your perception and people skills. It also teaches you how to manage your money, which can help you become a better investor and person in general. Finally, poker can teach you how to deal with bad luck, which is a skill that will come in handy in any walk of life.