The percentage of people who make any kind of significant money playing poker over a long period is relatively small. That’s because to win at poker, you must master the game itself and have a good understanding of the odds of winning. You also need to be able to practice regularly, both in live games and against computer programs or bots. This way, you can work out your strategy and improve your chances of success. But more than anything else, you must keep your emotions in check. It’s all too easy to lose control and throw your entire strategy out of the window when things start going badly for you.

When you play poker, there are many rules that must be followed in order to maintain the integrity of the game. One of the most important rules is that players may not reveal their cards to other players during a hand. This includes reading a folded hand, telling a player to read their own cards or revealing the contents of a live hand before the showdown.

In addition, you must always be aware of the amount of money that is in play for each hand. This is particularly important if you are playing in a tournament. A non-player may not sit at the table, and guests are allowed to sit behind a player only if no other player objects. If you are playing with a guest, the guest must not look at your hand or discuss any hand or board possibilities during the deal.