Thanksgiving is about food, family, football and — for our 7-year-old niece Diana — flushes.

Thanksgiving is about food, family, football and — for our 7-year-old niece Diana — flushes.

Sitting in for her aunt and playing her own hand for the first time at a holiday poker game, Diana stoically looked down at the Seven-Card Stud game coming to fruition around her.

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We would bet, she would bet. And on the final card, she raised. We all thought it was simply cute. Until, facing Jocelyn’s straight, she showed her collection of diamonds — five of them.

And to quash talk of a fluke, she won the next hand. With five more diamonds.

You see, just as I did when I was a wee lad at Grandma Grimm’s house, Diana has watched card games at every family gathering. And just as I did, she’s been learning quietly. Well, I don’t know that I was ever very quiet.

But when kids evolve from spectator to participant, it makes an uncle proud.

Our nephew Zachary, 8, wanted to master Hold ’em as soon as his dad and I started playing. His 10-year-old sister, Kylie, has for years been piecing together sets and straights, albeit in a game that has stars as a fifth suit.

This year, 5-year-old Amber moved from player to player (depending on who was winning) and absorbed strategy. And Ryan, the 9-year-old brother of Amber and Diana, had the best line of Thanksgiving night after making a winning hand on the river: “I was so happy, I almost smiled.”

Now before anyone accuses us of corrupting the young, I should point out that when we play with the kids, it’s never for money.

The adults can’t afford to.

Loose change

Memorable hands from holiday poker:

•Still learning. First hand of the night, Seven-Card Stud, Ryan’s straight loses to my flush. And just as I begin counting unhatched chickens, Grandpa George shows his full house.

•In case you missed it. Second hand of the night, Spit in the Ocean, 91-year-old Grandpa George wins with four deuces. Amber quickly joins his team.

•Dealer’s choice. A week earlier, Seven-Card Stud with the fellas, I deal myself a king and a jack down and a king up. My next up card is a jack. Two up cards later — neither of which helped my hand — the two other kings are gone and one jack is folded.

My final card: the case jack.

Sitting next to me, Andy calls my raise with a midrange straight. He looks at my jack and king and says, “You don’t have the ace-queen-10 under there, do you?”

Nope.

JARGON BY JOCELYN

•Double Draw: Played like Five-Card Draw, except each player gets to draw new cards twice. There’s an additional round of betting after the second draw.

A reminder: Those who see each bet can exchange zero, one, two, or three cards. If a player has an ace — and shows it — he or she can trade in the other four cards.

Source: Kansas City Star