Poker is a card game that involves betting and making hands. The aim of the game is to form a better hand than your opponents in order to win the pot at the end of the betting rounds. You can improve your poker game by learning strategy, studying bet sizes and position, and networking with other players. But the most important thing is to stay committed and work on your physical game to ensure you have the stamina to play well over long periods of time.
You should also learn to read your opponents, especially in terms of how they act when they have good cards. This means recognizing tells such as facial and body tics, staring too long at a card, biting your nails or rubbing your eyes. These are unconscious giveaways that can help other players determine the value of your hand. Expert players know how to hide these tells by wearing hats or sunglasses, and they use this knowledge to make smart decisions.
Another key point is knowing what to do when you’re out of position. If you’re EP, you should play a tight range and open your range only with strong hands. If you’re MP, you can be a little looser because your opponent’s range of hands will be larger pre-flop, but you still need to be very tight in this position.
Finally, you should learn to bluff effectively. It’s important to mix up your bluffing style to keep your opponents on their toes. If they always know what you’re holding, they will call every one of your bluffs and you won’t get paid off on your big hands or see your bluffs through.