Poker is a card game in which players compete to form the highest-ranking hand at the end of each betting round. This is done in order to win the pot – the sum of all bets placed by all players in a given deal. Players can also try to make a high-ranking hand by placing a bet that no other player calls, which forces them to fold and leaves you with the pot.

To improve your poker game, you must work on several skills. One of the most important is understanding ranges. This involves looking beyond the cards you hold and making moves based on what you think your opponent has. You can do this by studying their physical tells or making observations about how they’ve played in the past.

When learning the basic rules of poker, it’s important to know how the different hands rank in order of strength. This will help you determine what type of bluffing strategy to use. The best way to learn this is to practice and watch other players play to develop quick instincts.

Another key skill is reading the context of a hand to decide whether to call, raise or fold. For example, if you have pocket fives on the flop and it’s A-8-5, your hand isn’t strong enough to be worth calling, so you should usually fold. On the other hand, if you have pocket aces and the flop is A-8-5, then your hand is stronger than it appears, so raising will force weaker hands out of the pot and increase your chances of winning.