Some people today have a misunderstanding about poker. Some people only know of low stakes home games played with friends and families where luck more often than skill plays a large role in such games. One reason why luck plays such a big role in home style games is that many of the skills used in pro-style games don't come into use in home games. If you use 3 of the more important skills used by professionals: patience (in determining what starting hands to play), bluffing and reading people.
Patience, like discipline, is a virtue in life and also in poker. Folding starting hands is a natural play in poker, hands that are not mathematically correct to play should be folded and if you play too many starting hands in high stakes games, you will be trying to win by catching particular cards which are in short supply and the simple fact that if you play too many hands in high stakes professional poker you won't win, certainly not in the long run, no matter how lucky you are. However, if you're playing too many hands in your home games sometimes the sheer size of the pots will wind up offering you sufficient odds to call to your inside straight draw. (For definitions on poker terminology, visit our 'poker glossary' for all you need to know). In the traditional home-style poker games, patience not only is not as important but could actually clash with the 'spirit' of the game, the - "we're all here just to have fun and gamble."
Another major difference between homes games and and pro games is that bluffing can succeed in pro-style games! Home-games structure don't usually allow you to pull off a bluff because you can't bet enough money in the previous bet to get an opponent to fold but in a pro game, bluffing is a sound strategy as there are few players left in the hand as you will find the majority usually fold at sometime in the hand. Patience in playing and folding hands can also allow you extra respect at the table when it comes to bluffing as if you have seldom been caught bluffing, players will find it very hard to 'call you down' through the last bet. Bluffing well is an art form.
One other important element in pro play is reading your opponents. Too often in home games there is too much money in the pot that it would make sense to call more often than not but as situations arise in pro games, with the money involved, and the thought processes more advanced, many times situations arise where you can take advantage of a good read. This could arise through your ability to detect weakness or strength in body language or your ability to assess the ability of betting patterns on the hand and making the right move, ether calling, raising or making a good fold.
The fact that the skill factor in pro games is higher than in home games is probably also down to the fact that there is too much at stake in pro games for anyone to rely solely on luck.

Best Online Poker