Poker is a game of chance and skill, but it also involves reading your opponents’ body language and betting strategy. This is why you should read many books on the subject and watch others play to develop your instincts. This will help you understand how to spot tells and how to play a variety of hands.

In a round of poker, players start by anteing something (the amount varies by game), then bet into a pot in the middle. The highest hand wins the pot. Players must raise if they have a better hand than their opponent, or they can call if they don’t want to risk losing all of their money.

To learn more about the rules and basic strategies of poker, read the article How to Play Poker. Also, be sure to spend time studying hand rankings and the impact of positions on your chances of winning a particular hand.

If you have a strong value hand, bet aggressively to make your opponents think you’re bluffing and make them chase ridiculous draws. This way you can force out weaker hands and win the pot. It’s important to remember that you’ll be outplayed a lot of the time, but that shouldn’t stop you from making the most of your good hands. As you continue to practice, your instincts will sharpen and you’ll get a feel for frequencies and EV estimation. These skills will become automatic in your play as you progress through the game.