Poker is a card game with a lot of chance. When betting starts though the game becomes a lot more complicated and skill based. Players make decisions about whether to fold, call or raise a bet based on probability, psychology and game theory. While the results of a single hand can still be very dependent on luck, over time good players will win more often than bad ones.
Once the first betting round is over the dealer deals three cards face up on the table that anyone can use, this is called the flop. Then another betting round commences. A good poker hand will consist of your two personal cards plus five community cards. You can make a pair, 3 of a kind, straight or flush. A pair contains two cards of the same rank, a 3 of a kind has three of the same rank, and a straight has 5 consecutive cards in the same suit.
Learn to read other players and watch their body language. Look for tells, like fiddling with their chips or a ring. Also pay attention to how they are playing, does their heart race, do they blink a lot or look stressed?
Find other players who are winning at the level you play and talk about the hands you played with them. It will help you to understand different strategies and how other experienced players think about the game. It will also improve your own instincts as you learn to spot certain situations and react to them quickly.