A card game played by two or more people, poker has a reputation for being both a fun and challenging form of gambling. It has become an internationally known card game, with professional tournaments held around the world and millions of people playing the game for real money. Despite this, poker can be very frustrating and there are many stories of players who’ve lost large sums of money in the game. This is why it is important to set limits for your spending and learn how to play the game correctly.

The first step to learning how to play poker is understanding the basic rules. Depending on the game, one or more players must place an initial amount of money into the pot before the cards are dealt. These are called forced bets and come in the form of antes, blinds, and bring-ins.

When you have a strong hand like AA+, play it aggressively. Top players fast-play their hands to build the pot, chase off other players with weaker hands, and get maximum value from their holdings.

It’s also important to learn how to read other players and pick up on their tells. This doesn’t just mean looking for nervous habits like fiddling with their chips or a ring, but also their body language and how long they take to act. For example, if a player takes a long time to make a decision, they may be holding a strong hand and are trying to figure out how much to raise it by.