Poker is a card game that involves betting. It is mostly a game of chance, but it also involves some skill and psychology.

Having good position in the hand is one of the most important things to learn when playing poker. The reason is because if you play in position, it means that you will see your opponents act before you do. This will give you key insights into their hand strength and make your decision-making easier.

Another key thing to learn when playing poker is observing your opponent’s tells. Tells are unconscious habits that reveal information about a player’s hand. They can include anything from fiddling with their chips to a certain facial expression. As a beginner, it is important to be able to identify your opponents’ tells so that you can exploit them.

When playing poker, it is important to keep your emotions in check and not go “on tilt.” Tilt is when you are angry or frustrated at a bad beat and it can cause you to play sub-optimally going forward.

Tilting can also be costly to your bankroll, especially when you are trying to recover from a big loss. This is because you will be tempted to over-bet in an attempt to make up for your losses. Instead, try to limit your losses by setting a bankroll (both for every session and over the long term) and sticking to it. This will help you play more consistently and avoid the temptation to make bad bets.