Poker is a card game that involves skill, psychology, and mathematical probability. When betting is involved, the game takes on a lot more skill than just pure chance (though even without betting there can still be quite a bit of skill at poker). The best players share several similar traits. They can quickly calculate pot odds and percentages, they know how to read other players at the table, and they are always improving their strategy.
During each betting interval, or round, one player, as designated by the rules of the particular poker variant being played, makes a bet in order to call any bets made by the players before him. In turn, each player must either call that bet with the number of chips he is willing to put into the pot, raise that bet by adding more than the previous player did, or fold his hand and drop out of the current betting interval.
There are many different strategies to play poker, and each player develops his own approach based on experience. Studying the gameplay of experienced players is a great way to learn new techniques and improve your own skills. Watch for their mistakes to avoid repeating them, and study their winning moves to incorporate them into your own style of play. It is also a good idea to discuss your own strategy with other players to gain more objective insight into the strengths and weaknesses of your approach.