Poker is a card game played between two or more players. It can be a very social game, with the players talking and laughing together while playing, or it can be extremely competitive, with each player trying to outwit their opponents to win as much money as possible. The basics of the game are straightforward: you place your chips into the pot when betting begins, and then you can choose to call (match an opponent’s bet), raise (put more money into the pot), or fold.

The first step in becoming a good poker player is learning how to read your opponents. There are a number of ways to do this, from studying training site videos to simply sitting down at a table and watching how the players interact. Observing other players is especially important because you can learn from their mistakes and use their successes as a model for your own gameplay.

Another skill to learn is understanding ranges. Rather than focusing on what cards your opponent could have, more experienced players try to work out the entire selection of hands that their opponents may hold. This allows them to work out the odds of winning against a particular hand and makes it easier to decide whether to call or fold.

You also need to know when to quit a bad poker hand. It is easy to get caught up in defiance or hope when your opponent has a strong hand, but this will only cost you money in the long run.