Poker is a game of skill and chance, but if you want to be a good poker player you need to put in the effort and learn everything you can. This means working on your physical stamina to be able to play long poker sessions, learning more advanced concepts and poker lingo, and studying bet sizes and position.
To become a good poker player you need to be able to read your opponent and make decisions that take their tendencies into account. This is why studying experienced players is so important – you can see what they’re doing and then adapt and incorporate those strategies into your own game.
When you’re starting out, it’s recommended that you stick to premium hands like pocket pairs and high-card combinations. These have a higher probability of success and are easier to play with limited experience. It’s also important to know how to play your position and understand pot odds so that you can make informed decision about when it’s worth trying to hit a draw and when it’s better to fold.
When it’s your turn to act, you can say “call” or “I call” to make a bet equal to the amount that someone else raised. Or you can raise your own bet by saying “I raise” or “I bet.” This is how you add more money to the pot and try to make a stronger hand than your opponents. Ideally, you want to be raising when you have a strong hand and folding when you don’t.