Poker is a game that requires a lot of skill and psychology. It can seem easy when you don’t have any money at risk, but as soon as betting gets involved it becomes much harder to make good decisions. The best way to improve your poker game is to learn from the experts and take things one step at a time.

The basic game of poker is played with a standard deck of 52 cards. Each player puts in some money before they see their cards and then they can bet in turns. They can raise or call the previous player’s bet or even increase their own. This creates a pot and encourages competition.

There are many different types of poker but they all share some common principles. For instance, a winning hand must consist of cards that are rank-ordered (ace high, queen high, etc.). It must also include three unmatched side cards (the pair). You should mix up your starting hands and be aggressive when you have a good chance of making a good hand. This will keep your opponents guessing about what you have and you’ll get paid off on your big hands more often than not.

You should also study charts that show you what beats what. This will help you understand how a straight beats a flush, three of a kind beats two pair, and so on. It’s important to know this before you start playing because it will help you understand how to read your opponent’s betting patterns.