The game of poker requires a lot of brain power and the most successful players have found ways to remain mentally stable throughout the game. This has benefits in their everyday life and it is now believed that playing poker can help delay degenerative neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s.

A successful strategy is based on a risk vs reward calculation. This takes a bit of time to learn but once understood will make every hand you play more profitable. This applies to all poker games but particularly the more complicated Pot Limit games.

There is an additional element of risk vs reward when determining the correct bet size. A player should never raise his bet to an amount greater than the amount of money already in the pot. This will cause the opponent to bet into the pot with their full stack and will force them out if they are beaten.

When the first betting round is complete the dealer deals three cards face up on the board that anyone can use. This is known as the flop. Once everyone has had a chance to bet again the dealer puts another card on the table that anyone can use this is called the turn.

After this a final betting phase takes place and the players reveal their hands. The player with the highest ranked 5 poker hand wins the pot. The rest of the chips in the pot are shared by all remaining players.