Poker is a game of chance and skill, and winning at it requires discipline and perseverance. The best players are those who can stick to their plans even when they feel tired or bored and avoid making bad calls or ill-advised bluffs. In addition to this, they must commit to smart game selection and learn as much as they can from the other players at their table.

The most important aspect of the game is position. Your position at the table will affect which hands you should play and how aggressively you should bet. If you are in late position, for example, it will be better to fold your weaker hands than if you were in early position. This is because you will be able to see what your opponents are doing before you act and avoid making a mistake that could cost you the pot.

Likewise, when you are holding a strong hand, such as A-K, you should try to reduce the number of players you’re playing against by raising pre-flop. This will force the other players to call your bets and give you a higher chance of winning. However, if you’re holding a weak hand like J-J, you should probably just call.

A top player will not be afraid to raise a strong hand, and this is how they will win more money. It’s better to bet big than to bet small and hope that your opponent will call. You should also try to get players to fear calling your bluffs, as this will often cause them to overthink and arrive at the wrong conclusions.

You will find that many of the best players don’t play very complicated hands, but rather simple ones such as two distinct pairs and a high card. This is because they know that the most profitable hands are those where their opponent has a worse one. For example, K-K is a very good hand, but if the other player holds A-A, it’s a loser 82% of the time.