If you want to get good at poker then you will need to play a lot. This can be done live or on-line but the best way to do it is by playing a large number of hands (ideally 40k+ per month). This will give you enough experience to be able to compete with the “grinders” who play for a living.
The most important aspect of poker is learning about relative hand strength. This is the ability to think beyond your own cards and make moves based on what you believe your opponents have.
Getting to know this will help you when it comes to making decisions and deciding whether or not to call. It will also help you when it comes to reading your opponents. This includes knowing how often they fold to pressure, their stack sizes and more.
Each round of poker begins when one player makes a bet. This can be a small bet or it could be much larger. Then the players to his left can either call this amount of chips into the pot (match it) or raise it. They can also fold their cards if they do not have a strong hand.
After the betting round is complete the dealer puts three cards on the table that everyone can use. This is called the flop. Then another betting round takes place. Eventually the player with the best five-card poker hand wins the pot.