Poker is a game of skill and psychology as well as chance. It’s important to know the rules of poker before you start playing it.

The highest hand in poker is a royal flush. This is made up of a ten, jack, queen, king and ace of the same suit. This hand beats all other hands except a straight flush.

A straight flush is 5 cards of consecutive rank, but in more than one suit. This hand beats all other hands, including three of a kind and two pair. Two pair is two matching cards of different ranks, plus a third card (this is sometimes referred to as a “nut flush”).

You should always try to play your strong hands aggressively, even when it’s unlikely that you will win. This will push players with weaker hands out of the pot and increase the value of your winnings.

It’s also important to understand how to read other players and their tells. This includes the obvious things like fiddling with their chips or adjusting their ring, but it can also include how they talk and their body language. If you are observant, you can pick up on a player’s mood and their betting pattern to work out whether they are likely to have a good hand or a bad one.

Another thing to learn about is ranges. Advanced players will look at their opponent’s range and make decisions based on this. This is much more effective than trying to put your opponent on a specific hand.