Poker is a card game in which players make bets and then reveal their hands. The player with the best hand wins the pot (the sum of all bets in a round). A player can win without having the best hand by bluffing.
Each betting interval, or round, begins when a player in turn makes a bet of one or more chips into the pot. Then, each player must either call that bet with their own, raise it by adding more money than the last player, or fold. If they fold, they forfeit their chance to win that round.
To be successful at poker, you need to have a solid plan and stick with it. Human nature will try to derail you, and you’ll want to bluff too much or play too conservatively. You also need to be willing to lose a lot of hands and endure terrible luck from time to time.
Position has a huge impact on your starting hand range and strategy. Early positions like the SB and BB risk more than other players because they have to act first and only have limited information about their opponents’ actions. Players in late positions can collect more information about their opponents before they have to decide whether to call or raise a bet.
The size of your bankroll depends on your financial situation and your poker goals. Your bankroll should allow you to withstand variance and downswings without risking your entire poker capital.