Poker is a card game for 2-14 players with the object of winning the pot (a sum of all bets made during one hand). To begin a hand, each player must ante something to participate (amount varies by game), and then cards are dealt. Throughout the course of the hand, players may raise their bets to try and win the pot by having either a high or low poker hand.
The key to winning is putting pressure on your opponents to fold. To do this, you should keep your play tight and conservative early in the hand until you have a read on the table or have a good poker hand. Then you can become aggressive and psyche players out of their hands by raising often.
There is a risk with every reward in poker and life, so you have to be willing to take risks at times. However, there is also a danger in playing it safe, as you can be exploited by your opponent. They can call your bluffs more easily, and you can miss out on great opportunities where a moderate amount of risk could yield a big reward.
To control your opponents, you must learn to read their actions and betting patterns. This will give you clues as to their strength and weaknesses. For example, if they check often, it is likely that they have a strong poker hand and are afraid to expose it. You should also watch their body language to spot tells – if they look anxious or unsure, they probably have a weak poker hand and you can try to bluff them into folding.