Poker is a card game of chance, but with a little practice and learning about the game’s nuances, players can develop skill that will outweigh luck in most situations. Developing these skills requires patience, reading other players, adaptability and a commitment to study the game.

One of the most important things to work on is your understanding of ranges. This involves looking at the selection of hands that your opponent could have and determining how likely they are to beat yours. While new players try to put their opponent on a specific hand, more experienced players look at the entire spectrum of hands that they could have and then adjust accordingly.

Developing a solid preflop range is also important, but you shouldn’t be afraid to play speculative hands that have the potential to make you huge money on later streets. You should always bluff occasionally, but don’t do it just to bluff. You should only bluff when you think your opponents will actually fold and have enough value in their hand to justify doing so.

Finally, you should try to read the other players in your table. Pay attention to how they react and how successful their moves are, and then learn from them by studying their strategy. This will help you understand how to play better in any situation and will improve your overall game.