Poker is a card game played with chips that can be matched up to form a hand. Players compete in a round of betting to form the highest-ranking hand and win the pot, the sum total of all bets made throughout the hand. During each betting interval (or “round”), players can choose to check, call (put in the same number of chips as the previous player), raise (add more chips to the pot), or fold.

There are a variety of skills required to be successful in poker, including discipline and perseverance. The ability to focus and remain calm in stressful situations is important, as is the ability to read opponents well. It’s also necessary to make wise decisions about game selection, choosing the proper limits and variations for your bankroll.

As a beginner, it’s best to play relatively tight in the early stages. This means limiting your range to the top 20% or 15% of hands in a six- or ten-player game. Beginners should also work on their bluffing strategy, using free graphs online to help them determine the right amount to bet and when.

As you learn to read players, look for tells as they bet. This will be difficult in a live game, but it’s still possible to identify certain tendencies over time, such as an opponent who always raises when they have a good hand or one who calls too often. These observations should be factored into your strategy, helping you to better exploit weak spots in their game.