Poker is a card game that involves betting and the raising of hands. Each player must contribute an amount of money to the pot before the cards are dealt. These bets are called forced bets and come in the form of antes, blinds and bring-ins. Depending on the game rules players can also raise their own bets during the course of a hand.
A key part of becoming a better poker player is being able to read your opponents. This involves paying attention to their tells, betting patterns and body language. It’s also important to learn their tendencies and know how to exploit them. For example, if an opponent calls your preflop bets frequently but then makes huge bluffs on later streets, this is often a sign that they are holding a strong hand.
When you are in late position you can manipulate the pot size and get more value out of your strong hands by calling re-raises. However, don’t be afraid to fold if you have a weak or drawing hand. The law of averages dictates that most weak hands are losers so it’s often best to let them go rather than risk losing more money.
If you’re serious about becoming a better poker player, spend time studying the basic rules and understanding hand rankings. You should also work on your EV estimation skills. Eventually, the math required for these calculations will become ingrained in your brain and you’ll be able to make these calculations automatically.