Poker is a game of chance and skill, where the right mix of both can lead to huge wins for the best players. But like any other game, it can be easy for an average player to get caught up in emotion and lose a bunch of money. So here are some tips to help you play poker smarter and keep your emotions in check.

Before you begin playing, you must first understand the betting process in poker. Each round of betting begins when one player, in turn, makes a bet of one or more chips. Players may call that bet by putting in the same amount as the previous player, or raise it by adding more chips to the pot. Players may also choose to “drop,” meaning they put no chips into the pot and drop out of the hand.

In the first betting round, you will have three cards face up on the table, which are community cards that anyone can use. This is called the flop. Then, in the second betting round, another card is added to the flop, which again is community and can be used by all players. Finally, in the third and final betting round, the fourth community card is added to the board. Once this is done, it’s time for the showdown, where the player with the best five-card poker hand is declared the winner.

There are two emotions that can kill your poker game: defiance and hope. Defiance will make you want to hold on to your weak hands and try to force your way into a win, even though that is usually the worst thing you can do. And hope will cause you to bet money that you shouldn’t have, hoping that the turn or river will give you the cards you need for a winning poker hand.

The key to poker is knowing when to fold your weak hands. It’s okay to be disappointed by bad luck on occasion, but you can’t let those disappointments erode your bankroll. And you definitely shouldn’t keep calling for that perfect 10 that would complete your straight, or those two diamonds that would give you the flush. That kind of nonsense costs you money and wastes your time. Eventually, you will learn to be disciplined in your decisions and stick to your strategy, even when it’s boring or frustrating. That’s what separates the good players from the average ones.