Poker is a game of chance and skill. It is important to understand the odds of making different hands so you can make informed decisions on when to call, raise or fold. The best way to learn the odds of poker is to play the game often and watch other players. This will help you develop quick instincts.

Each player is dealt 2 cards and a round of betting starts. The two players to the left of the dealer make mandatory bets called blind bets before anyone else acts. After the blind bets, each player can choose to raise or fold their hand.

If you have a strong hand, you want to raise early in order to force weaker hands out of the pot. This will increase the value of your hand. If you have a mediocre or drawing hand, it is better to call to keep the size of the pot under control.

There is an old saying in poker that your hand is good or bad only in relation to what the other player is holding. This means that your kings might be good, but if the other player is holding A-A and you hit a jack on the flop, they will win 82% of the time. This is how poker works and it is why many players choose to play the game. It can be frustrating when you call a player with a monster and they catch a lucky river, but the fact that mistakes sometimes get rewarded is what makes poker profitable.