Poker is a game of skill and luck, but there are a number of things that can be done to improve your chances of winning. These include studying bet sizes and position, practicing your physical game, networking with other players, and bankroll management. In addition, you must be committed to improving your strategy and avoiding bad habits.

If you’re new to poker, it can be difficult to know which hands are worth playing. Typically, you should only play a hand if it has a high chance of winning and the pot odds are favorable. However, this doesn’t mean you should never bluff, as it is an effective way to steal some chips from an opponent.

Keeping your opponents guessing as to what you have is one of the most important factors in poker. If they always know what you have, you’ll be unable to extract value from your strong hands and your bluffs won’t work.

Late positions are often the best place to be in a hand, as you can manipulate the pot on later betting streets. Early positions are often dominated by aggressive players, so it’s important to limit the number of hands you play from these spots. Additionally, avoid calling re-raises with weak hands in late position, as you’ll likely be out of position against the aggressor. This can lead to big losses if your opponent has a good hand.