Kids And Cards

Teens in the game - Whether it's a fad or history repeating itself, poker has become a popular game with teens. Today, the game has grown into a televised event.

Go to any store and check the toy department you'll find everything from playing cards to poker table tops.

Wal-Mart's Becca Nolze says, "They fly off the shelves pretty fast. They're hard to stay in stock."

Card games have always been popular with kids.

Harlan Vogel with Heartland Family Service says, "Actually, it's probably not as new as most people want to think. If you go to any high school or junior high on any school bus, there's usually kids playing cards of some sort. It may not have been poker, may have been pinochle. It may have been pitch, it may have been spades."

We dropped in on a game of Texas Hold 'Em where 13-year-old Jose told us, "We just get together play some games and have fun and laugh."

There are chips on the table but they don't mean anything. There's no gambling allowed but you will see some serious game faces just like on television.

Thirteen-year-old Noah tells us, "You see it on TV. It's not that hard to do it. Doesn't take a lot of preparation or anything just pull out a deck and play."

"'Cause it's always on TV like Sportscenter," chimes in 13-year-old Tyler.

The parents think card games are fine. It's better than being alone with a video game and the card game brings back memories of how kids used to play.

Chris Dwornicki is the mom of a player and she says, "It's always been fun. We always played cards when we were little and have great memories of that, so I'm sure they're building memories of getting together."

The boys we met with in this story never play cards for money and they are always supervised by an adult.

News Added: 31 March, 2005

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