Poker is a card game that is played between two or more players. The game is primarily competitive and involves betting, both before the hand is dealt and during the course of the hand. The goal is to win the pot by having a higher ranked hand than your opponents.
To do this you have to be able to read your opponents. This includes learning their tells, which are clues to their likely holdings. Look for idiosyncrasies in their playing style, such as eye movements and betting behavior. For example, a player who calls your bets frequently may be hiding an incredible hand. If they check-raise you on later streets, then they have a very strong showdown hand.
A strong poker hand consists of your two personal cards and the five community cards. A flush contains five consecutive cards of the same suit. A straight contains five cards of the same rank, but they can be from different suits. A three of a kind is made up of three cards of the same rank, and two cards of another rank. A pair is two matching cards of the same rank, plus one unmatched card.
The most important thing to remember when studying poker is that you have to be consistent. This means setting aside time for study every day and sticking to it. If you don’t, other things will get in the way and you won’t be able to learn as fast.