Poker is a card game that mixes skill, intuition, and the ability to predict odds. You can play the game as a hobby, or it can be a serious endeavor that can lead to huge wins and big profits.

You have to learn how to read your opponents’ betting patterns, and to predict the odds of winning and losing. You also have to know when to fold and when to call.

Tight players play fewer hands and bet less. They are easy to spot by experienced players, and can be bluffed into folding when they have good cards.

Aggressive players play more hands and bet more. They are harder to spot by newer players, and can be bluffed out of their money when they have bad cards.

You can also tell if your opponent is a tight or aggressive player by observing how they bet and act on their hand. A player who bets a lot of chips on the flop but calls with middle pair on the turn is likely a tight player, while a player who only bets a little on the flop is most likely an aggressive one.

The rank of standard poker hands is determined by their odds (probability). A full house includes three cards of one rank and two of another, a flush contains five cards in sequence from any suit.

A pair of 10s is a great hand, but if the flop comes up K-K it’s loser 82% of the time. Similarly, a pair of kings is loser 82% of the time when you’re up against someone with A-A.