Some people argue that poker destroys a person. But that is just because a lot of people play it for the wrong reasons and use it as a form of entertainment and socialising rather than using it to learn some useful skills. Among them are control over one’s emotions, learning how to read an opponent and critical thinking. Those are all valuable skills in life.
The game of poker teaches you how to analyse situations and make decisions. You also have to be able to assess the strength of your own hand and determine whether you should call, raise or fold. These are important skills that you can apply to many other areas of your life.
Poker is a game that requires a lot of luck, but it also involves an incredible amount of skill. This is why you need to pay attention to your opponents and learn to read them. While this is a difficult task, it is possible to do if you know what to look out for. For example, if someone is constantly raising bets then they probably have a strong hand.
If you want to get serious about poker, start by playing only with money that you are comfortable losing. You should also track your wins and losses so that you can see if you are getting better or worse at the game. If you are improving, then you should consider moving up a stake level.