Poker is a fascinating game, offering an insight into human nature. It requires players to be disciplined and stick to a strategy despite bad luck or the temptation to play a hand differently.
It is important to study the betting patterns of your opponents, particularly those who are aggressive. This can help you to read them better. It is also helpful to note their chip stack size. Short-stacked players will often be more desperate to win and may therefore be easier to bluff against. On the other hand, players with a larger stack will be tougher to bluff against.
If you have a strong starting hand, it is usually better to fold than to try and hit a draw. The reason for this is that you are likely to lose a lot of money on hands where you have a draw against a stronger hand. This is particularly true if you have a strong draw against a big raise.
The best way to avoid this is to limit the number of players you play against, ideally two or three. This will reduce the chances that someone with a weaker draw will beat you with an unlucky flop. The other advantage of playing fewer hands is that you will be less likely to lose to bad beats.