Poker is a card game that involves betting and making a high-value hand using the cards you have in front of you. Like any other game, poker relies on luck and a great deal of skill to win. Despite the many different variations of this popular card game, there are several key skills that every player must master in order to be successful.

The first of these is position, as this can greatly affect your starting hand range and strategy. Whether you’re early or late in your position, you need to be able to read how strong your opponents’ hands are by studying their actions, which should reveal a lot about what they’re holding. The earlier you’re in your position, the more risk you take on a given hand because players will be able to raise or re-raise your bets before they see the cards.

Another important poker skill is knowing when to fold, particularly post-flop. Many beginners will assume that if they’ve put money into the pot, they should play it out, but this is often not the case. Unless your hand is very strong, it’s often best to fold and wait for another opportunity to play the cards you have in front of you.

Other important poker skills include discipline and perseverance. You must be able to stick to your poker plan even when it becomes boring or frustrating, and you must have the strength to withstand bad luck and bad beats that will inevitably occur throughout your career as a poker player.