Coming soon to a college campus near you: Should you ever fold pocket aces, when do you try to fill an inside straight, and while we’re at it, what the hell is a check-raise anyway?

Reflecting a nationwide trend among institutions of higher learning in the USA, a college in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, is going to start offering a class in playing poker.

Playing poker?

Yes, playing poker!

The school, Cleveland Community College, announced that the course, Poker Theory, will be offered this summer.

Classes are scheduled to begin on June 2 and meet weekly on Monday nights for three hours (6-9 p.m.) through July 21.

The instructor for the class will be Professor Michael Smith.

According to the college, the poker class “will take a look at the underlying concepts and mathematics of solid poker play. A basic understanding of poker rules is expected as is a reasonable comfort level with mathematical calculations, fractions, decimals and multiplication. The intended audience is the beginning to intermediate player. The class will focus on no-limit Texas hold ‘em but will also delve into limit Texas hold ‘em, and if time permits, some other varieties, such as stud or Omaha.”

The class is open to anyone and the tuition is $40.

If a college offered classes in shooting craps, playing roulette or how to bet on sports and beat your bookie, there would be controversy and likely outrage.

But somehow a college course in playing poker seems logical, practical and even a good idea.

(E-mail Tom Somach at tomsomach@yahoo.com.)