Counting cards?

[minds_I]

Hello all,

I am having an interesting conversation with my sweet wife about a uh hmm, friend of ours.

He has a son that has been tested to have an aggregate IQ of over 140.

He is quit impressive for a seven yo old boy. He is indeed quit intelligent and has a mind like a steel bear trap.

Anyway, among all the things the boy is potentially capable of, his Dad has been teaching him poker and he is quit good.

He is home schooled and is currently working on 2- 4 grades above his age depending on the subject. Obviously his math skillz are off the charts. Its incredible, I have a degree in engineering and he astounds me.

He says he has dreams of his boy being a great poker player and counting cards is but one way to get the edge. He is hoping his son will take care of his dad when older.

He says that he wants his boy to do what ever he wants but hopes it will be a great choice (as well all would for our kids) and knows he will excel at what ever he chooses.

So, is it ethical to teach our kid to count cards with idea of creating a great poker player and gambling powerhouse?

So, talk amoungst yourselves, there is coffee cake and coffee on the server, help yourselves, sorry but I am getting a little verklempt.

minds_I

 

[Eighths-n-Aces]

"is it ethical "???

Ethics is the slipperyest slope there is when dollar signs are planted in it.

Is it ethical to grow a plant that some douche made against the law?

 

[BudToaster]

given the kid's (reputed) potential, counting cards seems like small beans (and pretty meaningless). fuck, think big, eh? (imho, and i know small beans (of a different kind))

 

[Capt.Ahab]

One of my kids is a number cruncher.
Sure, he could count cards but I never entertained any idea of exploiting his mathematical skills for my advantage in any form or fashion whatsoever.
Instead I made sure he had every opportunity while growing up to develop the gift he has and made sure we had the ability to send him to a good university when the time came.
Now he is crushing it in a good college with damn near a 4.0 average, on the dean's list and has several high tech companies courting him with job offers. Mission accomplished as far as I am concerned.

 

[CosmicGiggle]

If the kid will be exploiting gambling casinos it's OK, but exploiting unsuspecting individuals, not OK.

I hope the dad is also instilling a conscience in the kid along with the poker skills!

 

[Sat X RB]

Old Fart here. many kids ... even more grandkids.

seems to me no matter what is spoken about in early days usually doesn't turn out in older days.

in fact, seeing as we're including intelligence in our talk here ... how intelligent is the aim of playing poker to get rich? and is intelligence the ability to count cards? I think not. counting cards is SKILL, not intelligence. (think Rainman, idiots savant.)

if I were intelligent counting cards would bore me eventually ...

let's hope the kid has a bright and varied future and forgets about his old man's crap dream!

(and no it's not Ethical to design a future for yr child without that child's agreed input. and at this stage what could the child know about Life?)

 

[Stoner4Life]

buy him the book 'Scarne on Cards', an awesome read that gives the average card player some practical advantages when thinking/acting clearly.

 

[rabid]

Kids these days aren't into reading books. Have your 'friend' (cough, cough) let him watch the movie "21".

Then he can decide for himself...

 

[WyteBarry]

Your friend's son def has a good set of skills for life as poker and gambling can give you an unique outlook on life as in regards to money when you're up and down and the way of making that money. Card counting will do nothing beneficial in poker but help him know the odds which is general knowledge to anyone paying attention of cards to come and ones that are already known. I'm all for him to rip up a pit tho with his skills but card counting is still frowned uponed in most places...another point to make is poker isn't getting any softer. By the time he can play legally I think most games are gonna be tougher to beat and that will add more variance. If he can go to school and succeed in life the legit way, I say point him in that direction and use poker as a supplemental income and if it becomes serious then he can always pursue that professionally.

 

[minds_I]

Hello all,

Interesting comments.

To be sure, my buddy has no intention of "exploiting" anything from his son.

At this time, his future is wide open and his dad will do whats best for his son.

He is already quite good at cards and chess as well.

He is an incredible kid and it is clear that his intelligence will take him far.

Thanks for your replies.

minds_I

 

[skullznroses]

If the kid will be exploiting gambling casinos it's OK, but exploiting unsuspecting individuals, not OK.

I hope the dad is also instilling a conscience in the kid along with the poker skills!

exploiting unsuspecting gamblers! nah not the way I see it. Just helping some fools part with their money so they can go home to their families a little faster perhaps. Gambling is just that, taking a huge risk. If you gamble with money you can't afford to lose, thats unethical.

Winning. Is. The. Best. Just do it.

 

[Perpetual Nooch]

Counting cards doesn't really help someone playing poker. It is more for blackjack. The skill needed to be great at poker is the ability to read people.

 

[tehmaster]

Counting cards doesn't really help someone playing poker. It is more for blackjack. The skill needed to be great at poker is the ability to read people.

Counting cards doesn't take a genius, it just takes a focused memory. And to think it's a good idea to teach a kid to be a "career gambler"

...no.

Many "career gamblers" i know sleep on mattresses.outside.

 

[tehmaster]

One of my kids is a number cruncher.
Sure, he could count cards but I never entertained any idea of exploiting his mathematical skills for my advantage in any form or fashion whatsoever.
Instead I made sure he had every opportunity while growing up to develop the gift he has and made sure we had the ability to send him to a good university when the time came.
Now he is crushing it in a good college with damn near a 4.0 average, on the dean's list and has several high tech companies courting him with job offers. Mission accomplished as far as I am concerned.

You did a good job ahab, that practically makes YOU a genius

 

[Nosmo King]

So is that as far as you want the kid to go...counting cards

How about education the kid might make something of himself or better the world.

You are dreaming the dream of a scratch off lottery player....

 

[eastbeast]

As some posters have already said, counting cards is applicable to blackjack, not poker.

If he's already very good at poker, then that's great. Being able to read people and make decisions based upon those evaluations is a good tool to have in this cut-throat day and age.

By many accounts, the casinos have virtually put an end to card counting. Nowadays they use a combined 6 decks at once and shuffle every chance. And of course they can usually tell when someone is trying to count cards, which will give them an excuse to throw that person out.

"Bringing Down The House" by Ben Mezrich is a great book about the MIT card-counting kids, and is the inspiration behind that shitty Kevin Spacey movie.

 

[tehmaster]

So is that as far as you want the kid to go...counting cards

How about education the kid might make something of himself or better the world.

You are dreaming the dream of a scratch off lottery player....