Not content with helping people of their personal problems, America's top agony aunt, Dear Abby, is now taking up poker issues

DEAR abby: My friend.. frequently host "poker nights" and invite quite a few other friend...

Since ... is presently unemployed, she has instituted a new policy for the games: Everyone must donate a percentage of their winnings to the house. This has offended quite a few of us. We have offered to bring snacks, etc., but the donation rule stands.

How can we confront her without coming across as rude? -- CONCERNED IN CALIFORNIA

DEAR CONCERNED: Why are you worried about offending someone who is extorting money from you? I don't know how many people participate in these ''poker nights,'' but with a percentage of every hand going to the house, Wilma must be making a tidy sum. It shouldn't be necessary to ''confront her.'' If I were you, I'd alternate hosting these games among the participants.

And this house rake, of course, is the business model of many an online poker site