Poker is a game of strategy, luck and skill. It is not just about making a good hand but also about reading the other players at the table to see if they are bluffing. If they are, then it is important to know how to read their tells so you can bluff with confidence too. The same goes for life; being confident can get you through a job interview ahead of someone with a better CV.

Cards are dealt to each player, face down, and the ante is placed into the pot before betting begins. A round of betting takes place with each player having the option to check, which means passing on putting chips into the pot, or raise, which means putting more chips in than the previous person. After a series of rounds the hands are revealed and the player with the highest ranking hand wins the pot, which includes all of the money that has been bet during the hand.

The highest ranked hands are Royal Flush (A, K, Q, J, and 10 of the same suit); Straight Flush (five cards in a sequence but not all of the same suit); Four of a Kind (four cards of the same number/picture); Three of a Kind; Two Pair; High Card. Generally, the higher the ranking of your hand the more valuable it is.