In poker, players place an initial contribution to the pot, called an ante, before they receive their cards. After betting, each player may discard up to three of their cards and draw new ones, or “hold.” The player with the best five-card hand wins. Each player can also bluff, betting that they have the best hand when in fact they do not, hoping to convince other players to call their bets and concede defeat.

The main goal in poker is to minimize losses with poor hands and maximize winnings with good ones. This is done through a combination of game theory, probability, psychology and strategy. Even the best players get bad beats occasionally, but minimizing variance can help improve a player’s long-term profit margin.

Keeping track of your opponent’s tendencies can help you win more hands. Observe their body language, idiosyncrasies and betting habits. You can use this information to spot players who are likely to make mistakes and adjust your own play accordingly.

One way to play more aggressively is to pick a specific spot to practice an overbet move, such as a preflop all-in, until it becomes second nature. This will enable you to apply it any time the opportunity arises. Then you can begin to add moves to your repertoire over time. This is the only way to become a consistent winner at poker. The divide between break-even beginner players and big-time winners is much smaller than most people think.