Despite its appearance as a game of pure chance, poker actually involves quite a bit of skill. While you can certainly improve your chances of winning by learning strategy, the most important aspect of the game is the psychology involved. Observing your opponents and picking up on tells are key elements to success.

As a beginner, you should focus on playing tight hands. Avoid trying to bluff too much and only bluff when you think there is a good chance of your opponent folding. It is also a good idea to study up on the probabilities of different hands, such as five of a kind. Having this information will help you decide when to call and when to raise preflop.

You should also spend time observing experienced players. Study their mistakes and try to understand why they made them. Likewise, look at their successful moves and try to incorporate them into your own play. This will help you separate the known from the unknown, or the controllable from the uncontrollable.

When you’re not actively involved in a hand, it’s easy to pick up on tells from other players. Pay attention to their mannerisms and watch for tells, such as fiddling with chips or a ring. It is also important to observe how they bet, as this can give you a clue about their strength or weakness. For example, a player who raises often is probably holding a strong hand, while a player who calls frequently may be bluffing.