kid poker

So the kids want to learn how to play poker.

" No" I told them, " that would be wrong."

So I taught them rummy, I taught them war, I taught them slap jack.

" These games suck", the boy said, " I want the poker."

" When do we use the chips ?" Hot Gril asked.

So after much badgering I figured I'd show them a game or two...I mean what could be the harm.

We started with the basics and I showed them "what beats what" first excluding the mention of flushes and straights and then added them in. We played 5 card stud, double draw. And I gave them each a dozen chips.

I thought my moral dilemma was going to be whether or not I should teach them to play. That turned out to be the least of my worries.

My real problem was that I was getting sick cards. I mean SICK ! I was getting dealt trips and two pair almost every time. If I needed an inside straight... POW I'd hit my 4 outter. I was killing the game !

All those hours online without shit, all those live games with bad beats, all those inside straight and flush draws that I blank out on...and here, with my 8 and 6 year old kids I suddenly turn into a card rack.

What's a brother to do ? I mean I could take a dive and make them excited to be winners. I could bring some joy to a child's life....but really, would that be the right thing to do ?

I mean wouldn't that be giving them false hope ? Wouldn't that be giving them a skewed perspective on the game....ON LIFE ? I mean they're already being set up with Stan Claus and the tooth fairy.

Plus, i mean really, IT'S A FULL HOUSE ! I can't lay down a full house.

I figured I'd settle for some middle ground and decided not to check raise the little scions.

The girl lasted longest. And she went down with a fight.

The boy cried when I busted him...jacks and 3s over 8's and 4's. CRIED ! OVER A CARD GAME !

Like father, like son.