Poker is a card game that requires a great deal of strategy and math. It is not easy to become a winning player, but it is possible for beginners to make significant gains over time with a few small adjustments to the way they approach the game.

One of the first things that beginner players should work on is their understanding of ranges. This is a mathematical concept that helps players figure out the probability that their opponent will have a hand that beats theirs. Instead of putting an opponent on a specific hand, experienced players will look at the entire selection of hands that their opponent could hold and calculate how likely it is that one of those hands will be better than theirs.

It is also important to learn how to read other players. There are plenty of books written about this subject and everyone from psychologists to law enforcement officers have spoken about the importance of reading facial expressions and body language. This skill can be applied to poker by studying the manner in which other players play the game and focusing on details such as how often they check their cards, their bet sizes, and the speed at which they make decisions.

Finally, beginners should learn how to bet aggressively. There is nothing worse than getting beaten by a pair of Kings because you were too timid in your betting. By raising the amount of money that you put into the pot, you can push weaker hands out of the way and increase the odds that your own strong hand will win.