Poker is a game of chance, but there’s also a lot of skill involved. You can improve your chances of winning by learning how to read the game and understand how the odds work. This book will help you memorize the key formulas, internalize the calculations, and build your intuition to make better calls at the table.

The first player to bet puts up a small amount of money, called the ante. This is then followed by a round of betting where players can raise, call or fold. The person with the highest ranked hand wins the “pot” – all of the money that has been bet during that particular hand.

To get a good poker hand, you need to have at least two distinct pairs of cards. A full house contains 3 matching cards of one rank and 2 matching cards of another rank. A flush contains 5 cards of consecutive rank in the same suit. A straight is five cards in consecutive order but from different suits. The high card breaks ties.

To be a successful poker player you need to have the discipline and focus to stick to your strategy. This isn’t always easy because human nature will try to derail you. You may be tempted to bet big when you have a strong hand or call bluffs when you should be folding. By playing a balanced style you can keep your opponents guessing and give yourself the best chance of winning.