Poker is a card game in which players place bets on the probability of a winning hand. The player with the best hand wins the pot, and players may also win by bluffing (betting that they have a better hand than their opponents).

A poker game begins with one or more betting intervals, depending on the variant of poker being played. Each betting interval is followed by a showdown where players reveal their hands and bet again. During the showdown, each player can fold, call, or raise.

When you are in late position and have a strong made hand, it can be very profitable to raise. This will scare weaker players into folding and increase the size of the pot.

Another way to improve your poker skills is to read strategy books. Find a few different books by authors who specialize in the game. Then, compare their strategies and look for similarities and differences. This will help you learn the game and develop your own style.

It is also important to understand equity. This is the percentage of money you are expected to win if your opponent has a worse hand than yours in a million simulations. Keep in mind that this doesn’t mean you should always be aggressive, but rather to only bluff when it makes sense and to play solidly with your strong hands.