In poker, players make bets by placing chips in a pot. The first bet is called the ante and usually has a small value. Then each player can decide to call, raise or fold. Say “raise” if you want to put more money into the pot than the person who bet before you. Say “call” if you want to match the previous bet. And say “fold” if you don’t want to continue playing the hand.
Often, the best strategy in poker is to be patient and wait for good hands. This allows you to play more hands and win a bigger percentage of the time. It also helps you avoid making big mistakes like overplaying a weak hand or bluffing too much.
The most important thing to remember about poker is that the game is a mental game. The mind has to deal with dozens of things at once, from controlling your emotions to avoiding distractions. You have to be able to read other players and look for their tells. These include things like how quickly a player checks, or if they use the same sizing each time they bet.
When you do have a strong poker hand, bet aggressively. This will help you push out other players and increase the value of your winning pots. But don’t be overly aggressive, because if you bluff too much with weak hands, you could end up losing more than you are winning.