A game as mentally intensive as poker requires a strong focus and discipline. It’s easy to get distracted or bored, leading to bad calls and ill-advised bluffs. Poker also requires the mental toughness to stick with your plan despite bad luck or even when you lose a big hand to an opponent who was obviously drawing. Watch videos of professional players like Phil Ivey to see how they handle bad beats to help you cultivate this skill.

It’s essential to be able to read other players, especially their body language and tells. You can pick up a lot about someone’s emotions by their betting behavior and how they react after a call or raise. You can also learn a lot about their hand strength by studying how they play different hands.

In addition to reading other players, you must know your own hand strength. Having a solid understanding of hand rankings will allow you to make the most of your own hands and determine the value of your draws. For instance, if you have a straight, a flush, or three of a kind, you can make stronger bets on the flop than if you had a weaker hand.

Another important aspect of good poker strategy is having a healthy bankroll. This means knowing your financial situation and poker goals, as well as determining how much you’re comfortable risking per session. This will prevent you from making impulsive decisions that could lead to financial disaster.