Poker is a card game that involves risk, luck and strategy. It’s a great social and fun activity, but it can also be a test of one’s will and perseverance. To be a good poker player, you must learn how to make intelligent decisions in both defensive and aggressive situations, and to overcome the natural human tendencies that can derail even the best players.

The most important skill a good poker player has is discipline. It takes a lot of patience and self-control to sit through long sessions of low winning hands, and to keep playing when it’s boring or frustrating. You must also be able to stay focused and not get bored or distracted while you’re playing, or you’ll lose your edge and start making bad calls and bluffs.

Another key skill in poker is the ability to read other players. There are entire books written about this, and everyone from psychologists to law enforcement officials talk about the importance of reading facial expressions, body language and other tells. This is particularly true in poker, where you must be able to read the intentions of other players and adjust your own play accordingly.

Finally, a good poker player has a strong understanding of probability and game theory. This will allow them to maximize the value of their winning hands and minimize the amount of money they lose on losing hands. This is called “MinMax” and it’s an essential skill for any serious poker player.