Schools Bring Back Poker
With only one in four adults knowing how to play poker, schools suggest introducing games to the classroom.
According to a recent survey conducted by Paddy Power, only a quarter of adults know how to play poker and those that do have a sharper intelligence. Therefore, Christian Heinrich, Chairman of the Boarding School Association, believes children should be encouraged to play poker and that lessons can be learned.
Teaching Poker
It can be argued that poker requires every lesson you’ve ever learned in life and forces you to absorb even more. Many teachers agree with this idea and suggest students can benefit from playing or just studying the mental side of poker.
Liv Boeree, Champion Poker Player, states: “If more children learned to play poker, they might be more ready for the real world. For instance, what is a poker hand other than a progressive set of decisions with consequences, sort of like adult life itself? Children would learn that their actions have consequences and the benefits of updating your beliefs.”
However, the decision to teach children is ultimately up to the parents whose views are split. One father encourages his children with their home poker set, saying: “I think teaching kids’ poker is a great idea for the learning process. The amount of math in poker can be very useful for understanding percentages and fractions, and is a fun way of learning.”
With another parent, adding: “Most people that do not play poker would think teaching kids is something of a taboo - almost like you would be giving them the money to become a compulsive gambler. But I think if done right it could be a great learning tool for many reasons and I really don't see an issue with doing so.”
Poker Games Online
Although, views over this debate are mixed, with online poker being so accessible it is important to monitor the children who do know how to play. There are thousands of poker games available online and it is up to parents to make sure their children don’t end up in the wrong place.
One parent, explains: “My father taught me to play poker as a kid. My son is 7 years old and he likes to sit and watch me sometimes when I play online. I see absolutely nothing wrong with teaching a kid how to play poker, as long as they are supervised.”
