Poker is a card game where players make bets by placing chips into the pot. They can fold, call, or raise. The player with the best 5-card hand wins the round and all of the money that was put into the pot.

A solid strategy is vital for winning at Poker. Without one, your tactics are likely to be inconsistent and uncoordinated. For example, bluffing can be a profitable tactic in certain hands, but without a defined strategy that outlines when and why to do it, you are just gambling.

Reading your opponents is an important skill that can help you win more often. This isn’t just about watching for tells (unconscious habits that reveal information about your hand). It’s also about studying the way that other players make decisions at the table and how they use their chips to convey information. This can include things like their eye movements, facial expressions, and body language.

Position at the table can have a huge impact on your starting hand range and strategy. For instance, players in early positions risk more money when they act first because the players behind them have more time to react to their actions. In addition, players in late positions can collect more information about their opponents’ hands before they act, which can make it easier to read their bets. A good player can learn to exploit these chinks in their opponents’ armor by focusing on areas where they tend to lose money.