Poker is a card game where players put money in a pot and then play cards to see who has the best hand. The winner of the pot gets all the money that was put up as buy-ins at the table. There are rules on how to share this money with other players who do not have the best hand. Poker requires a lot of skill, but the most important skill is mental toughness. Watch videos of Phil Ivey taking bad beats to learn how to handle it without becoming discouraged or letting a loss ruin your confidence.

To make a bet in poker, you can say “call” to match another player’s bet or raise your own bet. A raise is a sign that you think your hand is strong enough to win the pot. It’s often better to raise than call in most situations, because this will encourage other players to fold their weaker hands.

One of the most important skills to learn is how to read other players. Look for a player’s tells, such as eye movements, idiosyncrasies, betting behavior and more. Then, use these signs to predict if they have a good or bad hand.

It’s also helpful to understand the different types of hands in poker. For example, a high pair is a strong hand that usually wins. However, a straight is not as strong. It’s also important to know what hands beat other types of hands, so that you can figure out the odds of having the winning hand in a particular situation.