Two Plus Two Older Archives - Chicago Tribune story on kids and poker

This is very bizarre. I can't believe something I got into doing 6 years ago is all of sudden the rage among teenagers.

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Deal 'em: Kids get drawn in by poker
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By Lisa Black
Tribune staff reporter

September 23, 2004

Jaws clenched, none of these steely-eyed poker players are ready to fold, but it's 7:55 a.m. and a good bet they'll be late for their first class at Stevenson High School if they don't get moving.

"Just one more hand! Just one more hand!" a few of them shout, hoping to win back their losses.

Huddled around a table in the commons area at the Lincolnshire school, the five sophomores don't toss money into the pot. That would be gambling, which is prohibited. Instead, they memorize IOUs--for later.

Fueled by the glamour of televised tournaments with celebrity players, $5 million pay-outs and online casinos, poker is the rage among teenagers, who are organizing their own games, ponying up allowance and baby-sitting earnings.

Across the Chicago area over this past year, the popularity of the card game has crossed all clique lines--from the jocks and band members to the nerds. One variation, Texas Hold 'em, is especially hot. Boys and girls alike are getting into the action.

During the summer, game shop managers saw swarms of teens hunting for poker paraphernalia. Monogrammed poker chips were snapped up as graduation presents or Hanukkah gifts.

Some parents admit having mixed feelings about the gambling aspect, which is, after all, illegal. But many let the kids hold tournaments in their basements and supply the munchies because they view it as a safe social activity that seems tame compared with other teen vices.

Two distinct types of school-age poker players exist and both attend New Trier High School in Winnetka, said Alan Cosby, a 17-year-old senior from Glenview.

"There are the ones who want to make money and the ones like me who buy in for like $10 and just to want to have fun," he said. "There are other kids who can't stop, but I don't play with them. Some kids have been up to hundreds of dollars in debt."

One Glenview teen said he has friends who have lied about their age to play online poker. An 8th grader tried to use an older brother's account to deposit $800 in winnings, but the online poker administrator caught on and accused him of "laundering money," said the teen who asked not to be named. Internet gambling is illegal in Illinois, said Melissa Merz, a spokeswoman for Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan.

Not quite card sharks, the players become more savvy over time.

"Anybody can learn to play cards," said David Torres, 18, a College of Lake County student from Mundelein. "Girls are really good at it because they can hide their emotions. A lot of guys will teach their girlfriend how to play poker. They'll go to a party and everyone will think, oh, she's a girl, she can't play poker."

And then, of course, they rake it in, said Torres, who has played for three years.

Liza Dickinson, 16, a junior at Mundelein High School, agrees. She plays every few days with a group of friends.

"With a bunch of guys, I always win," she said matter-of-factly. "Guys are bad at lying."

Although schools don't allow gambling--and many ban card-playing of any form--some permit students to play as long as no money is exchanged.

"Up until a few years ago, the school district did not allow the students to play cards," said Stevenson High School Principal Doug Domeracki.

"Some students asked if they could play cards to pass the time. It went to committee and the decision was, why not? Let's let the kids play cards but make sure they know gambling is not allowed."

By comparison, Elgin High School cracked down this year against all forms of game-playing, including cards and chess, Principal David Smiley said.

"We want kids working on curricular matters," said Smiley, who enforces quiet study halls. "We don't have game-playing. We're on the [state] early warning list because of test scores, so we really wanted to focus on why we're here."

In Glenview, Springman Middle School added a gambling policy to its student handbook last year after some 8th graders were caught placing $2 to $10 bets on sporting events.

The case against poker isn't always clear cut. Sure, betting is a no-no. But the game acts as a great equalizer, drawing kids from various social sets and age groups, from pre-teens on up. Played on buses and in cafeterias and gyms, it remains a good way to pass the time and bond with friends.

Last spring, debate team members from Glenbrook North High School played poker during breaks at a national tournament in Salt Lake City, where they won the top prize.

"It's entertaining and it's cheaper than a movie," said Zach Rudin, 18, of Wilmette, a New Trier graduate who plays with his younger brother and their friends. "Movies are $10, and they're not always good. With poker, we can buy in for $5 and you'll usually get an hour or two or three of good entertainment. I justify it that way when I lose."

Chad Shoman, 18, thought the game was "pretty stupid" until he realized his buddies were all playing and figured he'd better grab a deck of cards if he wanted to keep their company. Admitting he's hooked, he plays every Sunday evening at a friend's house in Vernon Hills.

"We talk about politics, about sports, about poker and who won on ESPN this week. Music. Everything," said Shoman, who attends the College of Lake County in Grayslake.

At Stevenson High School, hands both hot and cold get dealt before school starts or during lunch periods.

"We're not allowed to have music. We're not allowed to have electronics, so it's like, what can we do?" said C.J. McFate, 15, who occasionally joins the regulars.

Playing for money, though? That's serious stuff and makes parents nervous, according to McFate, who said he mostly plays for pennies or nothing at all.

His friend, Mark Hamilton, 15, another Stevenson student who lives in Buffalo Grove, said he pitches in no more than $1.50.

"It's only with our friends," said Hamilton, who thinks some kids are trying to start a poker club at school.

Colette Lueck wasn't bothered when her 14-year-old son and his buddies anted up pretzels and pizza during their weekly poker games. But with the teens now tossing $10 each into the pot, Lueck said she's conflicted.

"We've had conversations about whether this is a passing fad or if it's an entryway into an addiction the way you'd be cautious about kids experimenting with alcohol," said Lueck, 55, of Oak Park.Dr. Bennett Leventhal, professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at the University of Chicago Hospitals, said parents should supervise poker games.

"What's the difference between playing poker or Uno or bridge?" Leventhal said. "The question is the wagering. I wouldn't see the games as inherently bad. It's how they're used and who the kids are who are playing it. ... In general I think it's inappropriate for kids to wager."

Parents should talk to their children about what happens if they win and lose, and how to walk away from the table, Leventhal said.

Alan Cosby isn't worried and said he knows when to quit. Playing poker has become so mainstream and such an effective ice-breaker that he said it has helped him meet new people at school.

"It's not just like the jock kids are playing poker," Cosby said. "Every kind of kid likes poker. It really does cross boundaries."

Copyright © 2004, Chicago Tribune

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