Poker is a card game in which players independently compete to assemble the best possible hand of cards. Traditionally, the player with the highest-ranked hand wins a pot of cash or chips, called the “pot.”

The rules of poker are fairly straightforward. Each player is dealt two cards, then betting occurs. The first two players to the left of the dealer make mandatory bets, called blinds, and then the remaining players can decide to call, raise, or fold their hands.

While studying poker strategy can help you get better, the most important way to learn the game is by playing it. By observing the behavior of more experienced players and learning from their mistakes, you can gain an edge over your opponents.

One of the most important aspects of poker strategy is understanding how card ranks map to hand rankings. You also need to be aware of the importance of position. The earlier your position, the more risk you take by acting first and the less information you have about the other players’ actions.

It’s important to know when to fold. A common mistake of new players is to assume that they’ve already put a lot of money in the pot, so they should stick with their hand and hope for the best. However, this can lead to disaster if they don’t have the winning hand. It’s also important to watch for tells, which are nervous habits a player exhibits that can give away his or her strength.