Poker is a card game where players form their best 5-card hand to win the pot at the end of each betting round. It is a game of luck and skill, and the best poker players know how to manage their bankrolls, study bet sizes and position, and are mentally ready for long sessions at the tables.
The first thing you should do to improve your game is to start at the lowest stakes possible. This will prevent you from donating money to players who are much better than you and will give you a chance to practice your skills without risking too many dollars.
Another good tip is to be as straightforward as possible when playing your strong value hands. Doing so will help to keep your opponents guessing and make them overthink and arrive at the wrong conclusions. This will also allow you to raise more often and force weaker hands out of the pot.
When you have a strong hand and the flop comes A-8-5, for example, then bet hard! This will get people to fold and you will likely be able to pick up a monster pot.
One of the biggest mistakes that beginner players make is to limp too often. This is a mistake because it will usually not be worth putting any chips into the pot with a weak hand, and you should be raising instead to price out weaker hands from the pot.