Poker is a game that involves taking calculated risks. Some of these risks will pay off and others won’t, but over time making the correct decisions will lead to winning results.
Each player has to put in some money into the pot before they see their cards each round – this is called the ante. When it is your turn to act you can choose whether to call (put in the same amount as the player before you) or raise the bet. If you raise the bet then each player has to put in at least as much as your bet amount to stay in the hand.
As a beginner you should be focused on getting your basics down first and foremost. This includes learning relative hand strength, meaning you don’t want to be playing super strong hands until you have some experience. It’s also a good idea to practice reading your opponents. This doesn’t necessarily have to be done with subtle physical tells but rather with patterns. For example, if a player is betting all the time you can assume they’re holding some crappy hands.
Another thing to learn is the poker chart – which hands beat which. This is a quick and easy thing to memorize and it will help you make the right calls in the early stages of your poker career. The more you play and watch experienced players, the quicker your instincts will be.