Poker is an extremely complex card game that requires a mixture of art and science. To be successful, it’s important to follow the best practices and use your knowledge of probability to determine the odds your hand is better than your opponent’s. At the same time, it’s important to be able to adapt and change your play style when necessary. Whether it’s betting, checking, calling, or folding, knowing when to make these moves is an important part of the game.

When it’s your turn to act, you can say “call” if you want to raise the amount of money in the pot by matching the last person’s bet. You can also say “raise” if you want to increase the previous player’s bet by any amount.

Top players will often fast-play their strong hands, which can build the pot and scare off opponents waiting for draws that could beat them. However, if you don’t have a strong hand, it can be difficult to justify raising.

Observe other players to learn how they react when playing their hands and develop quick instincts. It’s best to practice on low stakes tables to build your skills without risking too much money. It’s also important to review your hands to see how you played them, but don’t just look at the hands that went bad — also study the hands that went well so you can learn from them. This will improve your poker instincts, which are critical to success.