blonde poker forum

If you do, what age did you start teaching them? I've got 2 young (5 & 6) boys, and in a few years I'd probably want to teach them how to play. I think it would be a good thing to know - it's a nice social activity and is obviously a multi-levelled, strategic game. Obv I wouldn't want them playing for money for a while. Is anybody who has taught their kids worried about them gambling without your knowledge? Do you find that they enjoy playing? Do boys prefer it to girls (not that it matters in my case)?

I'm sure they'd grasp the mechanics of the game straight off even now, although I doubt they'd work out the psychology. Hence me thinking leave it until they're maybe 8/9. Or would people hiss and call me a total degen for even thinking about teaching kids that young about poker? Personally, I don't see the harm, but I can imagine some would.

Obviously this is aimed at people with kids, but I'm sure several without will chime in :). Casual Friday afternoon discussion :).

No I don't

I keep it away from them

We do play some basic card games with a poker chip set though like "higher/lower" and "snap" lol

My Dad tought me to play Chess at about 5 so thats probably the right age to start learning skill games.

Poker's a bit different due to the gambling element though they would not need to know about that for a long time.

I would be reasonably happy about teaching my sons poker from age 5 onwards, although not sure their mum would be so happy.

One of my mates plays with his wife and son (aged 6/7 i think).

My nan taught me to play 3 card brag at about 5 playing for matchsticks,then crib,crash,gin when i was a little older and by 10 i was playing 7 card stud where she would relieve me of my pocket money(always slipped it back to me).If she was still alive i'am sure she'd be fleecing the internet today.

from what age would you be o.k with them wanting to understand the game, if at all?

I gave up after my 6 year old walked past me the other night and slapped me when i was looking at a hand. She proceeds to shout at me "WTF are u doing u have Ace jack! jam it over that french Mofo!!!"

Needless to say I was very dissapointed as i had taught to be more of a nit....

I don't have kids, so take what I say from a hypothetical view point.

I would teach my kids to play chess, poker, scrabble, etc., from a very early age - as soon as they are old enough to grasp the concepts and enjoy it.  My Dad taught me how to play chess when I was 3.  I was playing in national tournaments when I was 6.  I loved it.  Teaching your children to play poker and developing their maths skills and an understanding of probability and the like sounds like a good idea to me.

As for the gambling element, it's surely better to teach them about gambling and the risks in a controlled and friendly environment.  In addition to poker, introduce them to blackjack and show them that the house always wins.  They soon get an understanding that it's not as much fun as winning at poker.  

It's like sex education.  If you don't tell your kids about sex (the mechanics of it, the emotional aspects, the health elements, contraception and whatever else) they will learn from elsewhere and maybe even the hard way - i.e. through an experience that isn't good.  Of course, let your children have their childhood - but I don't think that teaching and playing poker with a child is going to turn them into a degen.  In fact, I think it could have the exact opposite effect.

rotflmfao - brilliant!

hadn't thought about it to be honest. They don't show a lot of interest on their small exposure to it if I happen to have to play an online comp when they are around, but they do play other skill based games.

Thinking about it its the "gambling" side of things that puts me off explaining the game actively to them. By the same token I suppose this should apply to them catching sight of TV horse racing or seeing me howl like a banshee Sunday's at 4pm when my first goalscorer bet misses an open goal!

So its an interesting topic, not sure my thinking is that joined up on the subject.

when growing up like most families my kids played regular card games and often played for pennies with their gran.

as for poker rookie started getting interested at about 14 where he would watch our home game then proceeded to dealing then actually playing at about 16 i suppose.
numpty wasn't interested at first but started to show more at around 18.

as for my girls, the eldest whose now 17 has never had any interest whatsoever but her younger sister who is 15 often plays a little friendly game during breaks or prior to our friday night tournament with the regulars as she waitresses there on friday nights. she understands the basics of the games but not in depth. they often show her omaha and various other variations of the game.

lol u make being a parent sound so easy mate

lmao

People without kids always do.

I know there's a little more to it than that - that's just the theory.  As I don't have kids, it's easy for me to talk about it.  My main point is that I don't think it does any harm teaching children about poker.  I also didn't say any of it is easy.

LOL  rotflmfao

Have thought about teaching Heather, but she's only 4 and we've only just got snap out of the way.  When she's older I'd like to teach her.  Could be a useful life skill if she can be good at it :D

I'm 33 and still waiting for someone to teach me how to play poker.

suppose it's like most things with kids(i dont have any) but you learn as you go so if if comes up you'll probably have a better idea of how to deal with the subject as and when if they ever ask you about it

kids are so intuitive though and as they get older you may not have realised how much the odd online multi youve played has intrigued them!

same with sports betting, it all registers with them.

When we think you're old enough, we'll teach you :D

sigh, it was clearly a fold, what's she on about!?

instead of doing her homework for the weekend make her read supersytem

lol, A+.

my 4 year old boy knows a thing or two he could teach you.His first words were "Big Slick"

Get a hearing test,  ... he called you a "big Dick"  ;)

fyp
thats what his mother calls me

My youngest regularly beats me HU for fun - but then she's 22 and also occasionally sometimes regularly outlasts me in tourneys too

If I had my time again I would teach her (or introduce her to blonde) when she showed signs of wanting to learn, and of being capable of understanding the game. I keep trying to get her on here but she's stuck at the age when she knows it all.

Didn't Phil Ivey's grandad play poker with him from a young age to put him off it? Well that worked?

Many non-poker players still have a pretty dim view of it, I know quite a few people who think it's mostly gambling, done by degenerates in smokey underground clubs where houses are lost on the turn of a card and people would kill you as soon as look at you. But there's internet poker too!, I tells them.
Not one relative I know wants poker mentioned in front of their kids. Maybe we are now moving towards an era where poker becomes gradually more socially acceptable and is seen as a valuable social activity. With the proportions of losing players being what they are, who could blame reluctant parents from holding their kids back from a cash drain?
I was babysitting for my sister one time and her son walked in on me in the middle of a fishy online game. I want him to see as little of the game as possible, but hey it's my time, and personally I don't think it's doing him that much harm. He was completely engrossed in the game, his only education to that point was a few pointers from me and seeing 'Rounders' one time. I rivered a nut boat in a $50 pot and was struggling to find a figure that villain would call, ended up making it another $30. My nephew (6) went completely mental at this and demanded I shove it all in, all $200 of it. I was a bit reluctant but he did have a pretty convincing look on his face, which turned to a satisfied glee as our villain took the bait. 'Told you,' he yelped 'That'll pay for the Nintendo DS!, and you can add THIS' as he slammed down a scrunched up 5 quid note he drew from his pocket. I still to this day can't figure how he knew, or even where he finds himself with fivers to throw around. Hustling the playground spieler probably :D

Zeebo theorem is all the rage in the playground games these days.

The kids and I play....i let them knock me off hands...but it is part of Kalooki, Whist, Rummy, Crazy 8's and a whole host of other games and activities particularly right now the Wii. No harm in playing games. If they are going to gamble they will whether you show them or not. Might as well have some fun sharing the time with them.....

Agree with Kinboshi - the theory behind it was the reason why I have shown my little 'un how to play poker.

This year he has learnt scrabble and poker because he was interested and asked me to show him.  He always see's his mum and dad playing both so was naturally curious and wanted to join in.  He now has the scrabble DS game and he plays it continuously.  I've mentioned chess to him but he doesn't seem as interested yet in that.

As for the poker, he obviously doesn't understand all of the concepts (he's 7) BUT his natural competiveness is clearly showing and he is an ubber aggressive player (certainly doesn't get that from me that's for sure!).  He has pushed me off countless pots.  The other day we stemmed into the 'pot odds' conversation and I tried as best I could to explain about extracting the most amount of chips when you have the nutz etc.  Big mistake, he has beaten me every single time since, do'h.

As for the gambling element side of things, I feel the same as Kin about any 'socially' taboo subject per se should be explained and discussed from an early age, revisited many times as they are growing up .... an understanding of things helps.  Kin worded it so much better than I have just done.

This is all dependent on the individual child though.  If my kids were not interested in any subject or activity I would never push it on them, we are all individuals at the end of the day.

His teacher at school knows I play poker and knows that Tariq has started to play it and fortunately he is off the 'Maths, educational' variety and has said that any game which involves maths, logic etc is a good learning tool in his opinion. 

Last but not least, for me, playing any kind of game with my little 'un is always a pleasure - spending time playing with your children is priceless.

Good original post btw

Waiting for Laxie -- her Sarah is a demon................

As for Ger not only was it a pleasure to teach him (ok quit the laughing) , its even a greater pleasure now he can accompany me to games. I think it was important, life is about choices and as Kin says i'd rather have conversations about the dangers of any pastime whilst encouraging sensible particiation if they show interest.

Wow. More responses than I expected. Thanks all  :)up.

Consensus seems to be yes, why not. But
1. No point pushing them into it if they're not interested. Got that worked out already :).
2. Teach them about gambling, in the same way I'd teach them about sex - explain the mechanics and the dangers but tell them not to actually do it until they're older :).
3. Expect them to beat me regularly. If they can already (both) beat me on Mario Kart, it's fairly inevitable, frankly :).

mass produce kids , put them in a room with computers , grind 1c/2c cash, then 2c,5c cash >>>>> 0.50/$1

16hours a day.

you'll be a millllionaire

Yep.  Our youngest (Sarah - 11) walks all over us.  But the bluffs she pulled on Duke were priceless!!!   rotflmfao

All 3 of our kids have at least basic knowledge of poker.  We play for the bragging rights and I've even let them play the odd cheap sng online.  They see how careful we are with the money side of it too, which I think will keep them in line as they get older.

Not kids, but brother. Helped him a bit, and he came 2nd in the $27k $26 on ftp for about $5k, FML

My view fwiw (and no i haven't got kids) would be that, although as a parent you can have a big influence in the paths/choices your kids make, ultimately they will find their own way and have their own interests!

I can remember my Dad taking me and brother to the races when we were little, I absolutely loved it, and was in total awe at all the money changing hands and the excitement it generated in people, I have always had an interest in gambling since - although my brother has no real interest in it at all bar the odd social occasion.  So although we both had the same introduction we ended up taking different paths if you like.

Regarding poker.. I think teaching your kids poker, if they are interested would actually be pretty productive in that learning poker in terms of the maths and strategy of the game before money and emotion have time to influence them is a posstive thing imo.

I statrted to play poker, after already been someone that actively gambles.. Time and Time again, I let the 'gambler' in me affect decisions at the table, my big leak lol.... If I had learnt poker fundamentals before being exposed to more general (and in some cases mindless) gambling then I have no doubt I would be a more disciplined and better player.

Even if you taught them the game though, they just might not be interested and choose another path.  Just as if you dont teach them they coiuld find it anyway but not in the home environment where you have most control as a parent.

My son is now 9. I will not and have no intention of teaching him to play. He used to watch me when he was much younger and was fascinated but I have decided its not something I want to encourage him to do. If he gets into it when hes older then I will try and give him the lessons I have learnt over the years but I dont want him to grow up thinking its an easy life and follow in my shoes. I also think encouraging underagers to gamble is not a good set up for life- i stared young on the slot machines etc and I hate to think how much I have lost over the years on slots/horse racing etc before I found poker. before anyone gives me the argument poker isnt gambling etc etc etc i know that but imo a child doesnt. I used to play for pennies etc with my relatives when i was a kid and it helped encourage an addictive personality.

I'm not saying I disagree with anyone who is teaching their children to play this is just my thoughts for my boy.

I think there is a different between teaching them to play poker and playing for money.

You can teach someone the game without the gambling element, just make sure its a freezeout game for no money just bragging rights.

Apparently people play Halo tournaments online for cash, or gamble on golf games, that does not make the game inherently gambling.

If you're playing for tournament chips and they don't relate to any actual money it isn't gambling, is it?

+1
My sis teaches and does a bit of psych and was explaining 'Broccoli Theory' as she calls it. Basically some are advocating, for example, denying kids broccoli and sprouts for a couple of years (7-8) so they want what they can't have, then letting them loose on these 'treats' after a bit to make sure they eat them. Same thing would go for telling kids poker's bad bad bad. Half of them want to rebel against anything parental at some point anyway...

Although sprouts truly are the spawn of satan.  I remember reading that there's a chemical in sprouts that means some people have an almost allergic reaction to the taste.

My ten year old son isn't interested in the slightest, but my six year old four tables the play money stt's on Full Tilt.

they taste a lot sweeter than they used to, probably genetically modified or something these days

I think sprouts are of the foods that separates Regular Tasters from SuperTasters...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supertaster

as in "I don't give a f*ck if you're a supertaster, sprouts play no part in a Fry Up" Dr C. Kev, Colchester Inst. for Nutritional Sciences.

yeah but no matter how much anticipation builds up inside the kids it's not gonna be enough to stop them noticing when they finally get a taste of these forbiden "treats" that they in fact taste like absoloute shit.

started teaching after 3 months, then realized when he was 4 months old he may be better than me already - turning $1000 into $50000............

http://blondepoker.com/forum/index.php?topic=22479.msg458480#msg458480

My daughter is only 15 months and she already likes playing with my poker chips!

But in all serious I would love to teach her the game when she is old enough. When I was 8-9 and used to go to Center Parcs on family trips (man how good was Center Parcs back in the day) we would sit around and play 5 card draw for matchsticks. I always loved playing card games since I was young but never took up playing more seriously until I was 23-24.

As many people have said I think its all about teaching them the game for fun when they are little as it will help with maths/memory and once they are old enough to understand the concept of gambling in their teens teach them the pros and cons of such activities. Gambling is always going to be out there so its better to teach them what its all about rather than letting them find their own way playing slots (something I never done but sure saw a lot of mates piss money away in).

That research cost me 30p out of my budget and 3 seconds of my time !!   rotflmfao rotflmfao

Well as for my 6 year old, she start playing poker when she was 4 years old.  It all started when she started showing the concept of wanting to count.  For instance saying numbers, but not in the correct order, and pattern matching with things like toys, aligning them up in a row, and others.  During this time, she notice me Daddie watching the poker shows and people clapping in the back ground, and the numbers on the tv screen.  So, why not, buy some cards.  Show her how the numbers correspond to how many pictures on the cards.  4 of hearts, 4 large hearts in the middle of the card, don't include the small (baby) hearts next to the numbers.  And the shapes, Hearts, every girl loves hearts.  Diamonds, shiny things on that cartoon Trollz.  Clubs, kinda difficult, but got that shape, and Spades.  Just say Black heart spades.  Notice the spade upside down, showing the ace of spades, looks like a heart with a stem, and point at an apple with a steam.  Then Poker chips, best to get ones with denominations or numbers starting with 1.  We bought $1, $5, $10, $25, $100, $500, $1000, $5000 (pink).  So counting by ones, she learned how to count by 5's, 10's, & 25's up to a hundred.  Then instead of saying "ten hundred" say "one thousand".  So you have the hundred's family, and the thousand's family.  Once she knew about the comma being "thousand" then showing her another comma "million" was a piece of cake.  So shoving in the middle of the table $485 chips looked like a lot, but telling her, it's only 1 $500 chips, the perception of amount dollar wise was easily taught.  Because someone puts in a lot of chips, VALUE WISE, it's pretty small if you have the larger valued chips.  Simple way of showing what is smaller and bigger dealing with numbers.  And she knowing how to shuffle cards too is a plus.  So playing poker for a solid 4 1/2 years with the knowledge of the game is quite awesome if you as me.  The most difficult hand to describe was the STRAIGHT.  Because you have many types to make a straight, open ended, gut shot, double bell buster gut shot, etc.  But a pair, two pair, and three of a kind, and four of a kind, and of course full house (in that order) was easy.  And the easiest, FLUSH.  2s Ts Js 3s Ks All same suite.  So when she got a flush, the deal was to "GO FLUSH THE TOILET".  Gotta make the game fun somehow.  Showing Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10 which one was higher, tape some cards on the wall with the ACE being highest to the ceiling, and then King, Queen, Jack, and 10 being the lowest.  So you ask, which one is HIGHEst to the ceiling?  Well that ACE, then KING.  So you ask, which is HIGHER TO THE CEILING, King or Queen?  Point at the wall.  And as for the Ace being ONE or the Highest card, that was simple.  During a straight with A,2,3,4,5, you look at the numbers and it's just one, the smallest, anything else it's the highest.  It's a "MAGIC CARD" that changes it's mind on a straight hand.

tl;dr  :hello: ;welcome; to Blonde

rotflmfao

:hello:

I taught my nephew (aged 8) and niece (aged 11) how to play Badugi the other day, as it's one of the easiest poker varients to learn. Due to time constraints we played it no limit rather than limit. My very first hand I made the nut Badugi (A,2,3,4 all different suits) without having to draw any cards. My niece soon picked up that I had a made hand and folded, but my nephew is too reckless and stayed in the hand all the way, losing all his chips, despite me giving as many clues as I could about my hand! I've advised him never to take up poker.

I disagree.  Poker is a strange game in that its intricacies are all concerning betting, especially NL.  The whole point of the game is to outplay other people for their stake regardless of how much that is.  One look at a play money game online and you can see that it barely replicates even a 1c/2c real cash game.  Why there should be such a huge discrepancy on how psychologically the game is viewed between playing for no stake and playing for microstakes is somewhat mysterious to me, but it is there and unavoidably so.  Obviously if the bragging rights are big enough, a tournament version could work, but the mechanics of a basic cash game would be all wrong if it were played for pasta shells.  If you want to teach kids a pure skill card game which doesn't rely on betting for its entire purpose, try bridge or rummy.

My grandma used to say:
"Bridge is a game of cards which can be played for money stakes.  Poker is a game of betting which is played with cards."
I think she is absolutely right.

My parents had a homegame because they are American and couldn't help themselves.  Of course if I wasn't allowed anything I wanted it, just like those blue fizzy drinks which make kids go mental, apparently. 

Anyway I badgered and badgered until I was allowed in for a couple of hours, with the proviso that I had to wager my own pocket money and if I lost it I wasn't getting any more.  It was a 10p/20p limit game, and I had a tenner, but for many many weeks I had £0 at the end of it.  This taught me simultaneously the "don't play with money you can't afford to lose" rule. 

I agree that Cash games cannot be taught to your children without the gambling element because this is about winning the pasta shells and keeping them forever.

Tournament games on the other hand are no different to draughts where to try to take the other player's pieces.

Nice post!
You look like a poker superstar I saw on tv a while back.

Even with a tournament, there must be something at the end, a prize of some worth.  So, it could be money, or it could be a treat.  Maybe the loser has to do the washing up for a week.

No there doesn't.

The prize is you win all the chips and you win.

Read Jen's post.  You're not really playing poker if there aren't any prizes.

I don't entirely agree.

The reason that play money poker doesn't resemble actual poker is because people are willing to lose knowing they can just reload and go again - they don't care enough about losing.

I think the mechanics of poker are complex enough that it doesn't just have to be about betting. Pontoon is a much, much simpler game - and some people still play that without any monetary value being attached for example.

The right competitive spirit is all that is needed to make the win by itself the goal without having to add anything.

Obv. cash poker can't work this way.