Poker is a game of strategy and probability. Every action in the game, whether you fold, call, or raise, communicates information to your opponents. This information allows them to build a story about your strength and weakness. In the end, the players with the best poker strategy win.

The game begins with an initial amount of money placed into the pot by all players before the cards are dealt. This is called the ante. In addition to the antes, players may also put in additional money at any point during the hand by raising the bet. Raising means betting more money than the previous player, and it allows players to force other players to fold by making them think they are bluffing.

A good poker strategy includes betting and raising when you have strong value hands. However, it is important to balance this with not overplaying your strong hands. This will cause your opponent to overthink and arrive at wrong conclusions, which can backfire on you.

As you improve your poker strategy, it’s important to keep in mind that poker is a mental game as well as a physical one. If you don’t have a positive mental state, your decision-making process will be warped, and that will ruin your poker game. If you want to be a successful poker player, you need to learn how to declutter your mind and develop a positive mental attitude. This is true of any field that you are trying to excel in.