Poker is a card game that involves strategy and risk-taking. The goal is to win the pot, which is the total amount of bets placed in one round. Players make decisions with imperfect information and learn to read their opponents’ tells. Poker can be played with any number of people, although a maximum of 8 is recommended.

To start playing poker, it’s best to play conservatively at low stakes to gain confidence and learn the game’s flow. However, as you gain more experience you can open your hand range up and play more aggressively, especially in home games.

Position is crucial in poker, because it gives you more information than your opponent and allows you to bet strategically. It’s important to understand the basics of betting in poker, including when to bet, how much to bet and when to raise.

The highest-ranking hand in poker is the royal flush, which includes a 10, Jack, Queen, King and Ace of the same suit. The second-highest is a straight, which is 5 consecutive cards of the same suit (such as 4 aces and a 2). The lowest-ranking hand is three of a kind, which is 3 matching cards of the same rank.

The math in poker can seem intimidating, but with the right workbook you can memorize the key formulas and internalize them so that they become automatic considerations in your decisions at the table. Get started with this free, full-color workbook today.