Poker is a card game in which players make wagers against one another, based on the value of their cards and the probability that they have a good hand. The game is played with chips, usually white or light-colored, and each player must purchase a certain number of chips at the start of the game to “buy in.” Each chip has a specific value (usually worth 10 or 20 whites, two, four, or five reds). Players may also purchase additional chips to increase their stakes.
A key skill of poker is to be able to tell whether an opponent has a strong hand, a weak one, or if they are bluffing. This requires a high level of concentration as well as the ability to read tells in body language. Playing poker can help to improve concentration levels and it is also a great way to practice emotional control under pressure.
The history of poker is unclear, although the game was probably first documented in the 1840s. The game’s betting structure is unlike anything that had been seen before, and it seems unlikely that it evolved from any of the many earlier card games.
Poker math is a huge topic, but the essentials are quite simple: Counting outs, frequencies, and EV estimation should all be a natural consideration in your play. The best book on the subject is probably Matt Janda’s ‘Poker Math for the One Percent’, but I recommend reading it AFTER taking The One Percent course so you have some context for its complexity.