Its that time of year when you flex your wallet and clear away the cloud of moths that emerge. Its also a time when you say to yourself "What shall I get for my poker mad partner/friend/relative?". Well here's a quick round up of what I think you could get...

• Well, if you've got to get something slightly more flamboyant than a pair of poker slippers and you're ready to splash out some serious cash, why not try this poker table. It's a proper ten person, padded edged and felted table perfect for fleecing the fish.


• You could pick up a set of 11.5g chips to give that home game a better casino feel. Great for a four player game. However if you prefer your chips with the values on them, then you should check out these chipsets.


• However if the poker player in your life is a total couch-potato then this TV Poker console is for you. For up to six players so your sofa is going to need to be quite big.


• Should they be more the type to sit parked in front of the PC (or Mac) then this is the option for you. World Class Poker has a whole range of poker games to suit. World Series of Poker: Tournament Champions is for those who own a Playstation. It would be remiss for me to not plug WPT's own offering for the Xbox. Happy keyboard/console bashing!


• For those looking for something that won't break the bank then you should take a look at a card shuffler. Great for nervous live players who hate to shuffle cards in front of their friends. No-one likes to fumble a deck in front of their friends.


• Here's another reasonable offering. Chipsets usually come with a cheap plastic dealer button (if you're lucky). So if you want to give your home game a bit more finesse but without spending heaps then take a look at these Dealer and Blind buttons. Alternatively take a look at these card protectors, for stopping any over zealous dealers from mucking your aces.


• Heading back to the sofa, all good poker players know you need to study to get an advantage over the rest of the table. Watching some Poker DVDs are a good way to get your head in the groove, just remember that they tend to show edited highlights. Many new players come unstuck by trying to emulate Gus Hansen by raising with rags.


• The best way to learn though is probably the most unglamourous. Yes, you guessed it, get those training manuals out and get grafting. Perfect for the poker player who is constantly having to top up their bankroll. Learn something before you hit the felt. These are the books you must get: Harrington on Hold 'em, Doyle Brunson's Super System II, and Caro's Book of Poker Tells.


• Here's a gift for the budding Marcel Luske in your life: cufflinks. Now you can really feel like you're in Casino Royale.


• Finally, for the ultimate cheesetastic poker gift this Christmas, you need Poker Nights CD and DVD. The DVD is a "How to..." guide, whilst the CD has some stomping Poker themed musical delights. Such classics as "The Gambler" by Kenny Rogers and "Big Spender" by Shirley Bassey could be yours. However anything that has James Brown, Kool and the Gang and Urge Overkill on it can't be bad, can it?

Well, that wraps up my poker gift guide. Happy hunting on the tables over Christmas!

When I first joined the team of WPT Poker mag I didn't really know a thing about poker. I still don't really (who can say they know everything about poker?) but this book has helped me along the way. It's called Poker: Insider Tips from the Co-host of "Celebrity Poker Showdown" by Phil Gordon. It doesn't really show you how to play poker the way other ABC titles do, it does something else. It attempts to get your brain thinking like a poker player and, whilst doing that, it also gives you a lot of history of the game. This book really got me hooked and there aren't many "teach yourself..." books that can do that for me.

Its not often that you'll see a poker hand like this...

I think someone must have been reading my blog. My boss Ian turned around last week and said, "We need to go to Vegas, are you free?". Hell yeah. I'm off to Sin City next week, there's just the small job of finishing this months issue of the mag first. Wibble.

How time flies! I've been on WPT Poker mag for about 6 months now and I'm really enjoying the change of scenery. I'm getting to meet some of the worlds top players (Antonio Esfandiari, Vicky Coren, Tony G, and Dave 'Devilfish' Ulliot amongst others) and now all I need is for someone to invite me out to Las Vegas to do an important photoshoot. I was a complete novice at Poker before I joined the team and I still am. I'm giving it a go though and just about holding my own. I'll let you know if I ever start winning any serious money.

Gambler's paradise is getting closer with the publication of this list: 'Super-casino' shortlist set out. Beyond the mega casinos that are being planned, smaller venues are on the cards. My city, Bath, is in the running for a casino licence. This is being mooted as a tourist attraction. I'll reserve judgement, but the word is that the local casino won't have a large fruit machine presence and will be more likely to stage poker tables. Which means that its likely I'll have a ready made poker location for photoshoots right on my doorstep. I have to explain that I work on World Poker Tour magazine.