If you’re serious about learning to play poker, the best way to improve your game is by joining one of the top poker training sites. This will give you access to expert instruction in all areas of the game and structured courses so you can focus on mastering each area one step at a time.

The first thing you need to learn is the basic rules of the game. This includes how to place bets, what hands beat what and the rank of each card. It’s also important to understand what bluffing is and how to use it in your strategy. Bluffing should only be done when the odds are in your favor and only when you’re confident that your opponents will call.

Another skill that you should work on is understanding ranges. This is the set of cards that your opponent could have in their hand and how likely it is that they will have a good or bad one. A strong understanding of ranges will help you make better decisions in preflop and postflop play.

Position also has a huge impact on your starting hand range and strategy. The earlier your position, the more risk you take on each round. This is because you’re working with incomplete information and players behind you can act based on your actions.

It’s important to only play with money that you can afford to lose. This will keep you from getting discouraged when you lose and prevent you from overplaying your hand when you have a strong one.