Pokers Popularity Grows Among Teenagers :: essays research papers

In Chicago, Illinois, among many new(prenominal) cities across the nation, a new trend has swept teenagers like a plague. Poker, or the newly named Texas Holdem, has been the new hobby to most kids, boys in particular. Since the football game season has been over, one boy all the same turned his dining room, a place for family time and bonding, into a full fledged poker living room with chips, and plenty of decks of cards.      Texas Holdem came almost sometime in the beginning of the decade, and has become much an more popular among teenagers. Launched from TV competitions between day-by-day people and even celebrities, kids from even our community have become hooked. In fact, some p arnts acquit it. They think that the game teaches strategy, critical-thinking, and math skills. One parent even compared it to smoke pot, prescribeing hed rather have his babyren play Holdem than non know where they are. Its "safer" because unlike drugs that impa ir your judgments, the child is occupied with something that, if developed, basin be cured by just taking it extraneous. Josh Kohnstamm, initiate of Josh in Mendota Heights, Minnesota, says "its become the perfect escape for his studious 16-year-old son, Josh, who takes allthing in addition seriously. Allowing him to whoop the schools best athletes -- computer geek that he is -- and come away feeling lucky when that is a sensation that rarely happens in his everyday life." But I could only wonder if the game was more about self-fulfillment and confidence, or critical thinking and math skills? Either way, the child is gaining, isnt he?      But then again there are also the adults who think that the game is a bad habit, and develops bad dramatic play habits. "Its fun. Its exciting. Its glamorized on TV and in the media in a way that separate addictions are not," says Keith Whyte, executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling . "Theres the touch that through skill you can beat the odds. But randomness is evermore going to have a bigger factor in determine the outcome than your skill." The fact is, is that gambling is an addiction and has been known to be severe to overcome. However, I dont think that anyone can actually say that it is forbidden because I really think that no matter what, every person takes a chance which can be considered gambling.      Im not sure where I stand on this issue.