Poker is a game of chance and skill in which players bet into the pot (an aggregate sum of all player bets) to form poker hands based on the rules of card play. Players may also bluff, aiming to force weaker hands out of the pot, for strategic reasons. While the outcome of any particular hand largely depends on luck, the long-term expectations of players are determined by decisions made on the basis of probability theory, psychology and game theory.

A good poker player is able to control their emotions under pressure and make quick decisions without being overwhelmed by minute feelings and impulses. This skill can help them in many other areas of life, from a job interview to an important presentation.

In addition to improving mental skills, poker can teach you how to read your opponents and understand what they are thinking. This can help you win more often by putting them on the wrong track when they are trying to bluff or show a tell.

The earliest known record of poker dates back to the late 1700s or early 1800s. Although poker shares elements with a variety of earlier games, it is distinct in its betting structure and seems to have been invented on the spot in a moment of inspiration or boredom.