Poker is a card game of betting where the goal is to win pots (money or chips) by taking part in rounds of betting. Although luck has a large role in the outcome of any individual hand, players can control the amount of skill that outweighs it by making decisions chosen on the basis of probability, psychology and game theory.
A good starting point for any new player to poker is to learn the rules thoroughly, and then play conservatively at low stakes to build up confidence. As you gain experience you can gradually open up your hand range and watch other players’ tendencies to learn their styles. A good player will also constantly examine and tweak their strategy based on results, e.g. reviewing hands in detail, discussing them with others and studying the frequency of particular hands such as flushes or straights.
Another key concept is to play the player, not the cards. This means that your hand is usually only good or bad in relation to what other players have at the table. For example, K-K against a player holding A-A will lose 82% of the time. This is why it’s vital to get familiar with reading other players, and not just their subtle physical tells but their patterns. This will help you identify weak hands and make better bluffs. For instance, players who raise every bet will usually have a strong hand, while those who limp the majority of the time are playing a weak one.