Poker is a game of skill and deception. You have to be able to trick other players into thinking you’re strong when you actually aren’t, and you have to know when to fold when your cards are bad. Two of the most dangerous emotions in poker are defiance and hope. Defiance makes you want to hold on to a weak hand and force other players into calling you, and hope keeps you betting at your garbage hands in the hopes that the turn or river will give you that perfect card you need for a straight or flush. This kind of play costs you a lot of money over time.
There are many ways to learn about poker, including watching videos of professional and experienced players. It’s important to remember that these people were once just like you, and even the best players have bad beats. But, you should never get too down on yourself when you lose; just like in any other sport, winning and losing is part of the game.
When you’re in the first position at a table, say “call” to make your bet equal to that of the player before you. This is a good rule to follow to save your bankroll and avoid wasting your money. Other factors that you should consider are the size of your opponent’s raise (the bigger the raise, the tighter you should play) and stack sizes (when short stacked, play fewer speculative hands and prioritize high card strength). The dealer then deals three more cards face-up on the board called the flop. Then another round of betting takes place.