Poker is a game of chance and skill, and the best players are masters at both. They have patience to wait for optimal hands, and they know how to read the other players at the table. They also have the ability to adjust their strategies and adapt to new situations as they arise. Finally, they’re always trying to improve their physical skills.

While it may seem like a cliche, the number one skill in poker is experience. The more hands you play, the better adapted you’ll be to each situation that comes up at the table. You’ll learn how to manage your bankroll, study bet sizes and positions, and develop an overall strategy.

As a beginner, you should focus on improving your basic strategy. Eventually, you’ll be ready to try out more advanced concepts, such as 4-bets and semi-bluffing.

There are also some specific traits that all good players share. For example, they all understand ranges. Ranges are the possible hands that an opponent could have in a given hand, and they help you determine how likely it is that they’ll have a higher-ranking hand than you.

In addition, all good players are skilled at reading the other players at the table. This is a general skill that can be developed through practice, and it includes things like noticing if a player fiddles with their chips or takes too long to make a decision. It can also include more subtle tells, such as the way a player holds their cards or their mood changes.