Poker is a card game played between two or more players and involves betting. The aim is to form the highest ranking hand based on the cards you have and win the pot. The pot is the sum of all the bets placed by each player. There are a number of ways to win the pot: by having the highest-ranking hand, by making a bet that no one else calls, or by forcing your opponents to fold.
In addition to a strong understanding of the game, you need to know when to walk away from a hand. This is a skill that requires good self-examination and the ability to weigh up all options before deciding whether to continue with a particular hand or not. Some players even discuss their hands with fellow players to get a more objective look at their strengths and weaknesses.
You must understand the concept of min-max, which means that you need to maximise your winning hands and minimise your losing ones. This is accomplished by making sure that you raise enough to extract value from your strong hands and by using bluffing to deprive your opponent of the chance of calling your bet with a weaker hand than theirs.