Poker is a card game in which players wager chips (representing money) into a common pot during a betting interval. The winner is determined by having the highest-ranking poker hand at the end of a deal. While luck plays a significant role in poker, the long-run expected value of a player’s actions is determined by a combination of skill, psychology and game theory.

Each betting interval, or round, begins when one player, designated by the rules of the particular poker variant being played, makes a bet. Then, in turn, each player must either call that bet by placing in the pot the same amount of chips as the person before him or raise it. If a player declines to raise the bet or to match the amount of chips staked by the person before him, he is said to “drop” and may no longer compete for the pot.

To succeed in poker, you must be disciplined and committed to improving your game over time. This includes focusing on the proper limits for your bankroll, choosing profitable games, networking with other players, studying bet sizes and position, and learning and practicing strategies. Additionally, you must develop a short memory and not let the bad beats or cooler heads-up hands get you down. Remember, over the long run, the math will work out for you. Until then, practice well and have fun. – John H. Mayer, MD, MPH, MS, AHIP, CSP, FASPS, CASP, FACPS, FACHE, FPSA, AA-BC, CHIP.