The game of poker is a game that requires a lot of concentration. This is especially true if you are just starting out, as there will be a ton of information you have to process and make decisions on. It is important to focus on your position, poker hand ranking, and opponent’s actions. If you do this, you will find that your decision making is much better than if you just made your moves on autopilot.
Whenever you are in the hand, it is your job to decide whether or not to call the other players’ bets and raise your own bets (or fold). When it comes to betting in poker, position is everything. If you are in late position, you will have more information about your opponents’ hands and can bet more accurately. You can also use your position to force out weaker hands, and get more value on your bets.
Another important thing to remember is that your hand is only as good or bad as the other player’s. A well-known poker strategy is to play the player, not the cards. This means that you need to pay attention to your opponents and try to guess what type of hands they are holding. A lot of this can be done by watching their actions and reading non-verbal tells, but a big part of it is just studying patterns.