Poker is a card game played by two or more players. The goal is to win money by having a higher hand than your opponents. A player’s luck will play a part in the outcome of each hand, but skill will also play a significant role. There are a number of important skills necessary to be successful in poker, including patience, reading other players, and developing strategies.

A good poker dealer must have a firm grasp of basic game rules and be comfortable explaining these to other players in a clear and understandable manner. They must also know how to properly spread the chips that are bet into both the main pot and side pots. In addition, they must be aware of the amount of money in each stack and keep track of all the bets made by other players.

A poker dealer should also be able to distinguish bluffs from calls and be able to calculate the odds of winning a hand. They should be able to read other players’ tells by looking at their eyes, facial expressions, and betting behavior. They must also be able to classify other players into one of the four basic player types (loose TAGs, Tight Nits, LP Fish, and Super Tight Nits) and exploit these tendencies. In addition, poker dealers must be able to follow basic gameplay etiquette and warn players of inappropriate behavior. They must also be able to communicate with the floor man if they see an issue that cannot be resolved on their own.