Poker is a card game that involves a fair amount of luck, but it also requires some skill and psychology to play well. While you can read books and study strategy, the best way to get a feel for the game is to join a poker group. The group will teach you the rules, as well as how to make your opponents think that you have them beat. The best players know that their success is as much about how they assess the situation and apply pressure as it is about their own cards.

When a hand is played, each player has the option to call, raise or fold. Exactly which of these actions is available depends on the action taken by previous players. For instance, if the player to your left has already raised and you decide to call, you must bet the same amount as the player who called (called a “call”).

The highest hand wins the pot. The highest hand is made up of one pair of distinct cards (like K-K) or a straight or flush. If you have a high hand and your opponent has the same high hand, then the highest card breaks the tie.

To increase your winning potential, it’s important to play solid value hands. This means playing your strong value hands as straightforwardly as possible and betting and raising a lot when you expect your hand to be ahead of your opponent’s calling range. It also helps to learn how to read other players and watch for their tells. This includes not only their nervous habits, like fiddling with their chips or wearing a ring, but their body language and the way they play.