Poker is a card game where players use their own cards and the community cards to create the best hand possible. There are several different types of poker games, but all share the same basic rules.

The game starts with a small amount of money, called an “ante,” which each player must put up before they are dealt any cards. The next step is to make a bet, which the players to the left of the first bet may call, raise or fold.

You can tell a lot about your opponents’ hands by how they bet or check and how long it takes them to make a decision. You can also get a lot of information from how they size their bets, which is something you should keep in mind if you want to improve your strategy.

Betting aggressively is a key part of poker strategy. It will increase your pot odds, and it will give you a chance to bluff your opponents if they think you have a weak hand.

Knowing when to fold is another important aspect of poker strategy. If you think a player will check after you bluff, it’s better to fold than to keep calling and re-raising.

It’s important to understand that poker is a game of skill and luck, but if you play correctly, the influence of luck will be less than you think. If you have the patience to wait for the right hands and position, and if you can read other players’ bet sizes and positions, you can diminish the impact of chance in your games.