When you play poker, you need to be able to make decisions quickly and accurately. Poker also requires a certain amount of luck, but players can improve their chances by studying and practicing. The best way to learn new strategies is by playing hands of poker. It’s important to start by playing low-stakes cash games and micro tournaments so that you can get familiar with the game’s mechanics and practice new skills without risking a lot of money.

Once you’ve mastered the basics, you can try your hand at higher stakes. However, be sure to set a bankroll for every session and over the long term and stick to it. This will help you stay focused and prevent you from going on tilt at the table. It’s also important to study and read blogs on poker strategy. The more you learn, the better your results will be.

Another aspect of poker is learning to read your opponents. This is important both online and in-person. In the live game, you can look for physical tells, but in the online game, you have to analyze how a player plays. Over time, you will be able to determine what types of hands a player has and what their tendencies are.

If you have a strong starting hand but the current bet is too high, fold! You can always come back next round with a new bankroll. However, if you have poor cards and are losing a lot of money, don’t dive back in with more money, you will probably lose even more.