There are a lot of different ways to play poker. But there are some things that all good players do. They learn how to read the odds. They understand that every action they take — whether to call, check, or fold — gives away bits of information to their opponents about how strong their hand is. They know when to use those bits of information to their advantage.

The game starts with a shuffling of the cards and then each player has to place a mandatory bet called a blind (small and big blinds) before they see their cards. This creates a pot right off the bat and encourages competition.

Once everyone has their cards, there is a round of betting before the “flop,” which is the first three community cards. Each player can choose to check (not put any money into the pot), bet (put some money into the pot), or raise (bet a larger amount than a previous player).

When you want to apply pressure to your opponent and make them pay more to see their next card, raising is the way to go. However, there are times when the best move is to fold — especially if you have a weak hand.

It’s also important to have a system for organizing your training content and scheduling study sessions, depending on how much you’re trying to improve in the game. A good rule of thumb is to devote 1 hour per day for playing and 1.5 hours for studying when you’re starting out.