Poker is a card game of skill and psychology, but it has a lot to do with chance too. It takes time and practice to learn the rules and how to play the game. It is important to read poker books and play the game with others. A good place to start is with a small stakes game where everyone can make a buy-in.
You can use the internet to find a number of online poker games to try out. There are also a few poker books available that will teach you the rules and strategy. The best way to learn the game is to play it with experienced players. Observe their actions and think about how you would have reacted to their situation. This will help you develop good instincts.
Once you have a basic understanding of the game, you can move on to higher stakes. However, it is important to understand that you will likely lose money at a higher level, but this can be used to learn the game and gain confidence in taking risks in the future.
It is possible to win a large amount of money in poker by making value bets. A value bet is a bet that is made with the intention of extracting maximum chips from your opponents when you have a strong hand. The commentators at the World Series of Poker gush when a player makes an intelligent laydown, but many new players miss this opportunity to improve their profits.