Poker is a card game with a betting round after each deal. Each player is dealt 2 cards face-down (hidden from other players) and a betting phase begins. Then 3 cards are dealt face-up (revealed to all players) in the center of the table called the flop. The best 5-card hand wins the pot. A high pair breaks ties.

In poker, being aggressive is a key strategy but it can be costly. Be smart with your aggression, bluff only when it makes sense and only raise your bets when you have the strongest hand. Observe your opponents and learn their tells to make better decisions.

The more you play, the better you will get. But remember, you will always lose a few hands, even the very best players have losing days. So it is important to have enough bankroll to ride out the ups and downs.

When you are in position to act, it is usually in your best interest to call a bet and let inferior players make mistakes. But be careful of the temptation to over-bet in an attempt to blow out inferior players quickly – this will only introduce unnecessary risk and hurt your overall winning percentage. Stick to a solid game plan and be patient, and your superior betting awareness will win out over the long run.