help the young-'uns

[honestabe 0]

I've been thinking about something ever since read one of DN's Cardplayer articles a while back...or maybe it was in his blog, I don't remember. Anyway, he said that he talked with someone about not sending kids to school, but instead teaching them poker so they can make $100,000 a year.Okay, while I realize that that is extreme, I think that teaching kids poker is a great idea. Poker is quickly becoming seen by the masses as a game of skill rather than just a vice, and therefore it wouldn't be considered too taboo to teach it to teenagers.Dunno if this sort of thing is already done, but I think it would be really great if pro players set up some kind of national chain of poker leagues for teens. Gambling laws prohibit underage gambling, but legitimate contests in which prizes are awarded are okay. The money for winners would have to be fronted by donations, and leagues could be established to prohibit every teen in the world from coming just to get a quick buck in a free tournament. Only serious players, those in leagues would be allowed. You could establish a Player Points system to try to teach kids about money management.The way I see it, this would be a good way to keep kids from doing worse things. Besides, with poker televised so much, they are going to gamble anyway...why not make it in a controlled environment that teaches them how to manage their bankrolls? That way, when they're of age and are using their own money, they won't go broke.What do you guys think?

[MilesZS 0]

Not a bad idea, but 'the right' would crush it in a heart beat. If you follow poker news, you'll see that many states are even making those tournaments with prizes illegal. In addition to that, many people will tell you that it will lead to gambling addiction -- those people will picket the leagues until you either shut down or kill yourself for having to hear horrible horrible slogans.

[Sushiman 0]

Only place this would be allowed to happen? MAYBE Las Vegas. First of all this is obviously something that is going to need a parental consent form as the kids are underage, and how many parents do you know that are going to send thier kids to learn poker? Even if they do understand its skill factor, they won't do it just because of the social stigma."I send my kids to baseball, piano, tennis and ballet....colleges are so demanding that applicants have to be multi-dimensional.""I send my kids to learn poker, so hopefully they won't have to bother going to college and make 100k a year in thier early 20s."Did that sound kind of ridiculous? I think it did. Not to mention that poker is hard work. You need the drive, the patience, and the talent. You have a better chance at making money as a professional musician or athelete than you do as a professional gambler.

[Don Giovanni 0]

i love poker and all, but the last thing we need is people taking poker classes instead of going to school.

[NickTheKid 0]

Worst idea ever.

[custom36 4]

Worst idea ever.

[ldudeus 0]

i think that it is a pretty good idea.i myself of course am a poker playing teen but having a teen poker league sounds awesome :-)

[mark33f 0]

Why not let kids drink at three, so therefore when they are teenagers they have built up tolerance?

[kevinoc85 0]

why do you want young children to learn how to play? it's much more profitable for everyone if they just play "for fun" when they're on vacation.

[princeof56k 0]

Not a bad idea, but 'the right' would crush it in a heart beat.

Yep, gambling wouldnt exist today if it werent for 'the left.' :wink: Seriously though... this aint gonna happen and it has nothing to do with the right or the left. It has more to do with poker having a general negative stigma with most of America (especially older Americans who tend to vote in large numbers). Before the current poker boom, if you went out and told someone you were a professional poker player, you would get a strange look. Even now, a lot of people still view it as gambling and dont believe you can make real money at it. Some people still think orgnized crime is heavily involved or it the wild west.That perception is changing, but it's changing a lot slower than you think.

[Mattnxtc 0]

Why not let kids drink at three, so therefore when they are teenagers they have built up tolerance?

[MilesZS 0]

Not a bad idea, but 'the right' would crush it in a heart beat.

Yep, gambling wouldnt exist today if it werent for 'the left.' :wink: Seriously though... this aint gonna happen and it has nothing to do with the right or the left. It has more to do with poker having a general negative stigma with most of America (especially older Americans who tend to vote in large numbers). Before the current poker boom, if you went out and told someone you were a professional poker player, you would get a strange look. Even now, a lot of people still view it as gambling and dont believe you can make real money at it. Some people still think orgnized crime is heavily involved or it the wild west.That perception is changing, but it's changing a lot slower than you think.

I have always thought of the biggest gamblers to be old rightwingers at the race track. haha

[honestabe 0]

Still, the fact is that, unless there was actually some illegal activity going on, they wouldn't be able to do crap about it until it was made illegal. The "kids drinking at three" thing is exactly the sort of mindset that we, as poker players, try to combat every day. There is nothing wrong with poker. To compare teaching kids to gamble responsibly as well as a valuable skill to exposing children to the negative effects of alcohol is just stupid.Anyway, my point is, the social stigmas are rapidly disappearing. It might not work now, but in 3-5 years? It's a definite possibility. For the record, I was NOT saying that kids should play poker instead of going to school, nor was I saying that this is meant as a means of making copious amounts of money at an early age. Read the post, man. I was saying that a poker league, like a baseball or football league, can teach a kid a valuable skill, as well as the importance of hard work and dedication. And to those naysayers, I'd reiterate that this would be meant to teach kids proper money management, and would thus be a deterrent for gambling addiction. I know that there are lots of guys who wish they'd have learned that sort of thing at an early age. Also, I know I'd send my kids to play poker, and I know lots of other parents who would.