Everyone enjoys a good game. But a great one is where you play to win. The beauty of Poker is that it's not just a game of odds, moves and calculations — It's a lifestyle

Whether it's due to the influence of the game in pop culture, or simply the sheer joy of playing a poor hand well, today Poker is one of the most popular games played worldwide. And we can see why. Each player is the master of their own fate. 

If you're a Poker player, then you know exactly what we're talking about. If you're not, then we're listing down 6 reasons why you should learn to play the genius game right away. 

1. It teaches patience

Being dealt poor cards time after time can be really annoying and even de-motivating. However, the game teaches you to keep at it and wait for your chance to shine, because eventually, the time will come. Losing patience while playing Poker can result in you making some phenomenal blunders which can finally mean a loss of money. Let this be a lesson you can remember forever. Here's a tip, keep your emotions at home before the cards are dealt, and wait for your golden opportunity to strike the opponent. Poker teaches us a great deal about maintaining composure also because sometimes these matches can take a lifetime to be over. In fact, the longest Poker game in history went on for eight years straight (1881- 1889), where the game was played continuously for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at Bird Cage Theatre in Arizona, U.S!

2. It helps in socialising

It shouldn't come as a surprise that the game is an excellent platform for players to socialise and closely get to know each other. This is because, Poker can lead you to some numb, vulnerable and even highly overwhelming moments that can lay bare one's natural self under high pressure. It can also tell you a lot about the body language and psychology of other players. If you can master the art of decoding the game that the person sitting in front of you is playing, you can give 'em all a good run for their money. 

3. It's a great career option 

We all want to have a successful career that could make it possible for all our dreams to come true. From buying the perfect house to travelling around the world. Playing Poker happens to be a lucrative career option that can make it all happen, and it's fairly an easier game to learn. However, one should remember that it's also a skill game over the long run, so knowing the right tips and strategies is very important if you want to keep winning more cash. It also depends on playing the right games and playing it against the right kind of people with the right cards. You can take a cue from Abhishek Maheshwari, who won India's biggest poker tournament, EndBoss at PokerBaazi, and took home over ₹1 Crore in April 2020, by simply playing Poker online during the lockdown. Who knows, you might be next!

4. It improves decision-making abilities

This master blaster of card games will give good practice in evaluating your decisions, before acting on them. Understanding the dynamics of the game before calculating your next move is extremely important. If you have heard the phrase, 'having a strong hand', Poker teaches you what it means and how to play with a strong hand. The beauty of the game lies in not acting on instinct and missing an opportunity, than saying yes too often and losing all your chips. At the same time, it teaches you that not all well-made decisions will necessarily result in success, which holds true for life as well. 

5. It's easier to learn and play digitally

If you're learning to play Poker, sitting down at a table in front of other players can be pretty intimidating. But thanks to online Poker you can now learn and settle into the game more easily with a certain degree of anonymity. There's no pressure. Another factor is that you can get to play every form of Poker you can imagine and that too without having to pay a huge sum of money up front. Unlike live Poker, you need little to no capital to begin. Plus, you can always take advantages of bonuses and promotions offered by online Poker operators to help you out.

6. It's not just a game. It's a lifestyle.

Now, while Poker is a fun game to bond with your loved ones due to the unlimited thrill and excitement it brings along, for serious players it's a lifestyle. There are so many Poker professionals who have met their best friends at the Poker table, picked up useful analytical skills or even learnt the real-life tactic of how much and how aggressively to bet. There are so many series that annually happen around the world for professionals to live their Poker lifestyle, like India's premier live poker tournament, the Baazi Poker tour which happens in Goa. There are also other world events like the European Poker Tour in Prague, the Asian Poker Tour in Taiwan, the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas etc. where you can participate once the current health crisis is brought under control. 

In a way, playing Poker can have you better prepared for the roller-coaster ride that life actually is. And if you excel at the game, then you can also bring home a gold medal for it. The search for Indian poker's first gold medallist has begun. The National Poker Series has set the stage for Poker players above 18 years to go head-on against each other in a battle of skill, mental strength, endurance and consistency. 

The National Poker Series will kick-off on the 13th June 2021, where the participants will compete in 64 tournaments over a period of 15 days. The first edition of these tournaments will be hosted on PokerBaazi.com and can be played through smartphones and desktops from anywhere in India. Now each tournament offers medals to its podium finishers. There are 3 main leaderboards, out of which the NPS podium will keep a count of the participants' daily medals. Based on this, top three players will win a trip to Vegas to represent India internationally and be Indian Poker's first Gold, Silver and Bronze medallists. In fact, the total prize pool of the National Poker Series is a whopping ₹15 Crore. For more information click here

So download the app right now from PokerBaazi.com and get your poker journey started!