Poker is a card game that involves betting and raising bets based on the strength of your hand. Players are dealt a set of cards, and each round of betting takes place before the next card is revealed. The player with the best 5-card hand wins the pot, which is the total of all bets placed by players. If there is a tie, the highest card breaks it.

It is important to learn how to read your opponents and their body language. You should also pay attention to how they handle their cards and chips and watch how their eyes move when making decisions. This will help you determine what kind of hands they have and whether it’s worth trying to hit a draw.

In addition to reading your opponent’s body language, you should play a balanced style of poker. This means calling and raising bets when you have a strong hand and folding when you don’t. It’s also important to bluff, but don’t overdo it or you’ll give away too much information about your hand strength.

One of the most common mistakes that beginners make is playing too many hands pre-flop. This will cost you a lot of money. Instead, focus on playing the top 20% of hands in a six-player game or 15% of hands in a ten-player game. This way, you’ll be in a better position to win more often.