There are a few key skills that poker players need to master in order to be successful. These skills include studying the game’s rules, developing a strategy and understanding how to read the table. While luck will always play a role in poker, skill can greatly outweigh it in the long run.

A player wins a hand by having the highest-ranking card combination at the end of each betting round. The winner claims the pot, which consists of all bets placed by the players at the table. Each player must also place an initial amount of money into the pot before seeing their cards, known as forced bets. Players can either call these bets or raise them. If a player cannot call, they must “drop” (fold) their hand.

In addition to learning the basic rules of the game, a beginner must also learn what hands beat each other. This is done by studying charts and memorizing the order of rankings, such as knowing that a straight beats three of a kind and a flush beats a straight.

A great poker player understands when to bluff and when to value bet. They also know when to fold their hand and wait for a better one. They are also able to see the other players’ behavior and make decisions based on this information. For example, if an opponent is very aggressive when they have a weak hand, this can help you decide whether to fold or not.