Poker is a card game in which players make bets with chips (representing money) to win a pot. Each player is dealt two cards and the aim is to make the best five-card “hand” using those two cards and the community cards. Players can place bets based on the probability of making their hand or on psychological and strategic considerations.

In a live game, you can learn about your opponents by watching their body language for tells. But in an online game, this information is less reliable. Instead, you need to study their betting habits over time. Look for patterns like how often they raise the pot or whether they play aggressively after the flop or river. These observations can help you figure out what type of bluffs to try against them.

Raise your bets when you have a good hand to scare off other players and narrow the field. For example, if you have AQ pre-flop, raise to force players with drawing hands (that need cards to make a winning hand) to fold. That’s more effective than calling a bet and losing to a lucky flop. However, don’t over-raise and bluff – this can backfire and put you in a bad position for the rest of the hand. Besides, raising with weak hands invites other players to try to improve their own. This will be a costly mistake in the long run. Rather, bet small amounts to reduce the number of other players you’re playing against.