In poker, players are dealt cards in a betting round until someone has a winning hand. The winner claims the pot, which is the aggregate of bets placed on the hand. Then, a new round of betting begins.

To play poker well, you need several skills. First, you need to understand the game’s rules. You should also be able to make smart decisions under uncertainty. This means estimating the probabilities of different events and scenarios.

Another skill you need is to know when to fold a bad hand. This is because your opponent might think you have the best hand if you check or raise frequently, so they’ll call your bets if you’re bluffing. You should also know when to walk away from a bad hand if you don’t have a good chance of improving it.

Finally, you need to be able to read the table and tell when other players are making good calls or bad ones. You should also be able to recognize bluffs and read the body language of other players. This way, you can make the right bets to increase your chances of winning.

In addition, you should always be polite to other players and adhere to gameplay etiquette. For example, you should never splash the pot after you’re done betting, and you should never ask other players for change unless it’s your turn to act. This is because it gives them the impression that you’re not taking them seriously or are trying to steal their money.