No one can teach you how to become a pro at playing poker but the fact is playing poker like an expert is not easy. It takes a lot of practice and research, understanding of the game’s rules, and knowing when to quit. If you can take it seriously, it can be worth the effort.

Steps to playing poker like an expert:

1. Study the game: It is crucial to study this game if you want to be successful at it. Researching is the best way to become an expert at it and you should keep learning as you play. Reading articles on playing poker, hiring a coach, or training at a site can all help you to hone your skills.
2. Be consistent: It is important to stick to the game to become good at it. Just because you cannot perform up-to-the-mark on the first few occasions should not force you to try out one game after another. When you stay consistent you can improve faster because you learn from mistakes. Poker is not meant for people who are wary of long sessions.
3. Know the odds: If you have decided on the type of poker you wish to master you should then focus your energies into mastering it. This means learning the rules and conquering the math. Poker is all about calculations, and if you are weak at it, you may find it hard to win. It is important to know the odds of getting a winning hand if you are behind.
4. Know the rules: If you wish to play poker like a pro, you must know its rules. Without a solid knowledge of these you will end up losing a lot of money. Texas Hold’em, for instance, is the most extensively played form of poker because it does not have a steep learning curve. Your job is to figure out where it is possible to earn value against the poor players. Regardless of the game you select you must know concepts like hand combinations, drawing hands, pot odds, reverse implied odds, implied pot odds, fold equity, Independent Chip Modeling, EV or Expected Value etc.
5. Keep practicing: If you are serious about making a living by playing poker, you need to keep practicing it. Experts get a lot of experience because of the number of hours spent playing. Try playing more than a single table at a time to get more experience.
6. Choose hands carefully: Poker is all about skewing odds that will favor you and the best way to go about it is by choosing winning hands.
7. Learn to bluff: You must have heard of the term “poker face”; this is the key to winning poker games. Since you will not get favorable cards every time, you have to master the art of bluffing to dupe other players. Becoming an expert at playing poker requires an understanding of how to make the most of every situation. You need to prey on the weaker opponents and build up your image at the table.
8. Be realistic: If you have established that you are a winning player you can start figuring out the number of tournaments you must play in order to match your earlier income. In a salaried job, you can expect your salary to be credited on the same day of every month, even if you are sick. But this will not happen in poker.

Playing poker like an expert means keeping emotions aside and playing responsibly. You must be able to handle your finances well; the key to doing that is being disciplined.