Poker is a card game played between two or more players. It’s often portrayed as a game of pure chance, but when betting begins it becomes a much more complicated and strategic game that involves a good amount of psychology and math.
The first step in learning the game is understanding the rules of poker. This includes knowing the different types of poker, variations and limits. It is also important to learn the basic poker strategy. This includes learning how to read other players and watching their tells, which are the nervous tics that indicate they have a strong hand.
A great place to start is by reading some of the basic poker strategy books. One of the best is The One Percent course by Phil Ivey, which explains the fundamentals of the game in a way that’s easy to understand and apply. Another great book to read is ‘The Mathematics of Poker’ by Matt Janda, which takes a deep dive into the math and application of poker strategy. This isn’t for beginners, but it provides a wealth of information on balance, frequencies and ranges.
In addition to understanding the basic rules of poker, it’s important to learn the basic poker strategy and play with a group of people who know how to play. This will help you pick up the game quickly and make better decisions. It’s also a good idea to practice by playing online.