The game of poker, in which players compete to form the best possible hand using the 2 private cards they receive and the 5 community cards placed on the table for all players, involves a combination of luck and skill. However, to make the transition from break-even beginner to winning player requires several skills, including discipline, a sharp focus and an objective view of the game. The divide between break-even players and big-time winners is often far closer than you might think. In fact, it is a few simple adjustments that can often make the difference between success and failure.

Position is important in poker, as it gives you more information than your opponents and allows for simple, cheap, and effective bluffs. When it is your turn to act, you can use the information you have about your opponents’ positions to estimate how much to bet and when to bluff.

A good starting range for any player is pocket pairs, suited aces and broadway hands. These constitute about 25% of all starting hands and are a solid foundation on which to build your strategy.

A good basic vocabulary for the game of poker includes words like “call” and “raise.” When someone raises, you can say “call” to place the same amount in the pot that the previous player did. You can also say “raise” if you want to increase the amount of money in the pot by a certain amount.