Poker is a game where players battle over a pot filled with chips. Like in all things, the better part of being a winner is being able to pick and choose your battles.

Players that consistently win at the game of Texas Holdem know when to throw thier hat in the ring, and when to pass on a contest. If you're going to bring yourself into a battle, it is always best to start with the upper hand. Of course you can't always have the best hand going in, so a hand with its fair chances to win the pot will do.

Before going further, remember, if you fold, you lose nothing. So while learning the game of holdem, when in doubt, fold. It'll save you money in the long run. Folding is a "free" mistake, which is better than mistakes that cost you money.

Now, you look down at your hole cards, and you're deciding if you should enter the pot. There are a few things to ask yourself:
- how many people are in the pot with me?
- has someone raised?
- what are my cards?

The only time you are sure of how many people will be in the pot with you is when you are the last person to act. Most of the time you'll be guessing at what might happen before the betting round ends. This brings up the concept of table position.

If you are the first person to act, you have very little idea what everyone else will be doing. You are said to be in early position. If you are one of the last players to act, you are said to be in late position. And, of course, the seats in the middle are referred to as being in middle position.

[You can also find yourself in the following seats: Small blind, Big blind, Dealer or on the button, Under the Gun, in the Cutoff].

One reason position, and knowing what other people are doing in the hand (folding or staying . . . or raising/re-raising) is important is that some cards play well against a lot of players, and some cards play well against just a few players.

If you know how many players are in the hand, you can act accordingly. If you're guessing, you may guess wrong and find yourself making the wrong move.

Position also stays with you for the rest of the hand. If you act before a player pre-flop, you will be required to act before they do for the rest of the hand. That makes a difference in gameplay.

As action makes its way around the table towards you, you can gain information about the number of players that will be contesting the pot, and how strongly they feel about their hands.

Eventually, you'll find that action is on you . . .