A game of poker involves a lot of luck and chance, but it also includes a fair amount of strategy and psychology. It’s important to learn the rules before you play. You can start by reading a book on the subject or joining a group of people who already know how to play. Some people even hire a professional to teach them the game, although this can be expensive.

It’s always best to play poker in position, and you should never call a bet out of position. This way, you can control the size of the pot. When you are in position, you can raise your bet before your opponents even see the flop. This can force them to fold if they don’t have a good hand. It’s also best to raise when you have a good hand, as this will encourage your opponents to make big bets, which can force them to call yours if they don’t have a strong enough hand themselves.

In addition to being in the right position, you should say what you want to do before you make your bet. If you want to call a bet, say “call” or “I call,” and then place your chips or cash into the pot. If you want to raise a bet, say “raise” and then put more money into the pot. You can also say “fold” if you don’t want to match a bet or want to leave the table for any reason.

If you don’t have a good hand, it’s important to fold early so that you can avoid losing too much money. Many beginners assume that they need to bet all their chips in every hand, but this can ruin your chances of winning. If you have a good hand, try to win the pot by betting as much as possible.

A good hand in poker consists of two distinct pairs and a high card. It can be a full house, a flush, three of a kind or a straight. The highest pair wins ties, and the high card breaks ties if no one has a higher pair.

Trying to guess what other players have in their hands can help you win more often. For example, if someone checks after seeing a flop of A-8-5, you can assume they have a pair of jacks.

Most poker books will tell you to only play the strongest hands. While this makes sense for the pros, it can be boring for recreational players. If you’re playing for fun, fold any hands that don’t have the best odds of winning. This can include unsuited low cards or a face card paired with a low kicker.