Poker is a game that can take you through a whirlwind of emotions. The most successful players manage to stay emotionally stable and calm through the peaks and valleys of their play. They also have the ability to evaluate and balance risk against potential return, which is a sign of discipline.

Another important lesson poker teaches you is to be aware of your surroundings and read your opponents. This is called observing “tells.” Tells can be anything from fiddling with your chips to wearing a hat, and you must learn to pick up on them. As a new player, you should be especially attentive to how other players are acting. For example, if someone you’ve never played against makes a large raise on the flop, they are probably holding a very strong hand.

In poker, you must also pay attention to the amount of money in the pot and how much you can win from your next move. This is how you determine whether or not your bet is a good value. It is also how you avoid getting into a big loser and stay in the game.

In addition, if you are the last player to act, you can control how high or low the pot will be. This is useful if you have a strong value hand and want to inflate the pot, or if you are playing with a weaker one and want to keep the pot size smaller.