TEXAS HOLDEM ONLINE POKER

This Christmas more than ever before parents need to communicate with their children.

They should begin with the fundamentals.

A good starting hand in Texas HoldEm is any pair of aces or kings.

Never play a small pair if you are in an early betting position at the table.

Dropping a good hand that's a loser is no disgrace.

There's a lot of talk this Christmas season about the increasing popularity of poker among youngsters.

Teenagers are requesting poker chips, electronic card shufflers and Texas HoldEm kits for the holidays.

Television networks are running lengthy pieces about the potential harm gambling can cause, but no one seems to be suggesting the obvious opportunity here.

Finally, you can sit down and talk to your offspring about something they really care about.

Calculating pot odds.

Drawing to a gut straight after the flop.

Chasing a flush on the river.

Mention these topics and watch those youthful eyes, normally full of disdain whenever you attempt to impart wisdom, light up with a new respect and truth-seeking hunger you've never seen before.

Start by asking your son, or daughter, about Big Slick.

Big Slick, as every good parent knows, is an ace and a king dealt face down to a player in HoldEm.

That's a wonderful starting hand, but if the flop comes up five, six, eight and someone starts betting wildly, your youngster ought to realize his opponent has probably "got the nuts" and Big Slick is about to skid into a world full of hurt.

This is the sort of warning sign every child ought to be aware of today, but how many adults have taken the time for a heart-to-heart chat about pocket rockets.

You say Little Timmy is too young to hear such talk.

I tell you that Little Timmy has probably been discussing pocket rockets (also called aces, bullets and American Airlines) with his friends on the school bus or the Internet.

He's getting all sorts of misinformation and has nowhere to turn for solid advice.

All because his parents refuse to confront the realities of Texas HoldEm head on.

You don't want to have the humiliating experience one father described to me:

"I walked in on my son playing poker with his friends and overheard him say, 'Read em and wheat.' Wheat!"

Dad, to his credit, explained that the proper expression is "Read em and weep."

But by the time a lad is 13, who knows what harm has been done to him socially by telling opponents to "wheat."

The holiday season would be the perfect time to gather the entire family around the table — include grandpa, grandma and Old Uncle Sam — for a game of poker.

Have your kids ante-up all the money they've collected in gifts and teach them a real lesson about the value of a dollar.

They may come away with a new respect for the wisdom of their elders, who ought to refuse to refund any losses.

On the other hand, if Tiny Tim takes you to the cleaners, you may want to consider withdrawing that college savings fund and using it as a stake for the gifted lad in the next World Series of Poker tournament.

Some will say that playing poker is not in the spirit of the Christmas season.

I respond that such folks have never seen an exhibition of unquestioning faith equal to that of poker player trying to make a backdoor flush.

Talk about praying for miracles.

I would also point out that poker can provide your children with amazing insights into human nature.

Learning to read the "tells" of players at the table can be quite helpful in later years when you're asking the boss for a raise.

If he starts frowning, pacing nervously behind his desk and walks swiftly over to his office door, these are all signs that the boss is not going to hike your salary.

He's not bluffing.

It's said that a poker player who leans back in his chair, closes his eyes and shows a disinterested air wants you to make a bet because he has a winning hand.

My experience is that the guy is usually just tired and disinterested.

You can conclude the holiday celebration by gathering around the fireplace and singing one of the Kadner household's favorite Kenny Rogers' tunes:

"You've got to know when to holdem, know when to foldem, know when to walk away and know when to run.

"You never count your money, when you're sittin' at the table. There'll be time enough for countin', when the dealin's done."

Talk about making memories that will last a lifetime ...