Poker is a card game played by two or more players and involves betting. The goal is to win the pot by having the highest ranked hand at the end of the betting period. The game has many variations, including No Limit Hold’Em, Texas Hold’Em, Omaha, 7 Card Stud and more.

Developing a solid base range of hands and playing them aggressively is the foundation to becoming a winning player. Pocket pairs, suited aces, broadway hands and the best suited connectors comprise about 25% of all starting hands. From there you can expand your range of hands as you gain experience in the game.

Playing in position is important in poker because it gives you a better chance to control the size of the pot. Additionally, it makes it easier to call and check with marginal hands that you may be tempted to bet on in the early stages of the hand. It’s also important to be able to read other players in the game. A good portion of poker reads don’t come from subtle physical tells but rather from patterns in how a player bets.

For example, if a player bets frequently with only strong hands and folds with weak ones then you can assume that they are a tight player. On the other hand, if a player tends to bet high early in the hand then you can assume they are an aggressive player that is willing to risk their chips with bluffs.