Poker education similar to Sex education?

[Orpheus]

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A few words to the wise during adolescence can help make that a +EV experience.

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Actually, The last thing I want is for my kids to be --or make someone else be-- "expecting" in their early sexual experiences. Or doesn't anyone use that euphemism anymore?

Isn't there a thread about how repeatedly "doubling up" very early in your career can be a dangerous thing?

[Al Schoonmaker]

Your analogy is a good one. Since kids are going to get involved in both sex and poker, it's MUCH better to educate them.

They are probably going to play both "games," and they should play them intelligently.

People who don't understand sex have terrible problems such as unwanted pregnancies and AIDS.

People who don't understand poker just lose money.

One correction. Poker IS gambling. See SSH.

Regards,

Al

[molawn2mo]

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Not everyone needs to play poker. Or even consider playing it. Some people just aren't any good. Some dislike the gambling overtones. Some have no self control and are constantly prone to going broke.

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The logic, rightly or wrongly, goes... since the kids are most assuredly going to be exposed to poker/gambling in college if not sooner, then educating them about the game itself, how to play, how to think about the game, how to win... as well as open discussion on the potential negative effects is +EV.

Knowledge is power.

To say that they ought not be introdiced to it pre 18 years of age is ludicrous. They are being introdiced to it. If so, then isn't it prudent that they become educated rather than from the local hustler?

The more that I write on this the more clear the analogy between sex education and gambling education seems appropriate.

[molawn2mo]

I appreciate your insight, Dr. Al.

[Kablooie]

There are certainly aspects to gambling that should be more widely known. In particular the experiments from psychology that showed that training animals to perform tasks with random rewards for sucess is much more effective than just giving them a reward every time they correctly perform the task. As in, a _lot_ more effective - and this is certainly part of why gambling does cause problems for so many folks. Certainly the slot machine people have been all over this kind of research, and have consciously applied it to their designs. I doubt that knowing that would help after the fact, but it's something that children should be taught the same way they explain why nicotine is addictive, and what tar does to your lungs.

I wouldn't worry too much about teaching them poker per se though, because
like most games, it does teach some useful skills, in particular training them to think about why another player is betting the hand, looking for betting patterns, getting a really good gut feel for the way probability works, are i suspect something that will be very useful long term. It's not that you can readily escape from some kind of gambling activity in our society, so if they end up understanding why there are professional poker players, and no professional roulette players, they'll be in pretty good shape.

[WDC]

MY Mom taught and my friends and me how to play 7 card stud during our Confirmation classes. Its alright to teach them. I play with my 10 year old all of the time. He sits and watches me play on the internet and we discuss hands all of the time.
I bought a Hoyle Vegas program that has limit holdem and he can beat it pretty regurally. The kids are going to play so it is best to teach them.

[mshalen]

My kids (ages 8 and 11) love sitting with me and playing poker on the computer. To them it is just another card game that they mix in with war, garbage, solitare ... Both kids are involved in school, play sports, have friends and do all the things normal kids do. If they were becoming addicted to poker then I would get concerned.

The way I see being a parent is to monitor/introduce new things to your kids, put them in their proper context and try your best. When i think back to college the kids that were the wildest biggest screwups were the kids that had parents who never gave them an opportunity to manage themselves and have a little responsibility.

The gist of this is: they have had an introduction and will probably move on to something else that interests them.

[marsvolta619]

Yes, it's good to teach them about poker, but how about money management? Use some of the math teaching time on that: how to budget, etc etc. Remember, most poker players aren't winners. Most, if not all, didn't start out as winners. If you're going to "teach" them how to play, teach them the lifestyle of most gamblers, cause like Ed said, poker IS gambling

[BoogerFace]

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The more that I write on this the more clear the analogy between sex education and gambling education seems appropriate.

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I agree as long as it is non-praticipatory. I could see supplying appropriate reading material or asking them if they want to talk about it.

I mean, you wouldn't have sex with your kids right? Or watch porn with them? Or get them drunk so that they'll know how to handle their liquor?

I think the problem with kids as young as yours that playing poker legitimizes the whole thing. I'd personally be afraid that I might be planting the seeds for compulsive gambling.