A game of poker involves betting and raising chips in a pot based on your own cards and the strength of your opponent’s hands. The goal is to win the pot by having a stronger hand than your opponents, or by outplaying them with a better decision in a certain situation. There are many different strategies and betting concepts that can be used, including a number of types of value bets.

Beginners should try to play tight, meaning they should only enter the pot with top 20% of hands in a six-player game, or 15% in a ten-player game. This allows them to maximize the number of good hands they play, and decreases the chance that somebody else gets lucky on a flop.

In addition, beginners should try to study the gameplay of experienced players, as this will help them understand how to beat the game and learn from mistakes that are made. Experienced players also make innovative and creative moves, so it is important for newcomers to watch them closely to learn from their strategy.

The basic rules of Poker are simple: Each player is dealt a total of seven cards and must form the strongest five-card hand possible out of those cards. The players then reveal their hands and the person with the best hand wins the pot. During the course of a game, there are typically several betting rounds. The game may be played in a poker room, casino, or at home using an online app.