The Christmas Present Guide For Poker Players

‘Tis the season to be jolly, and while there’s no gift quite like a giant pile of cash-—or getting dealt pocket aces on the button with two raises in front of you—-we’ve managed to come up with some great holiday gifts for you and all your poker friends. Some of them make great stocking stuffers, while others are for poker players with a decidedly bigger budget. With less than a week away until Santa shows up, get on this now before it’s too late!

Poker Chip Set + Cards

And we’re not talking about those cheap Wal-Mart chips, either; we’re talking about a nice set of clay chips. While you’re at it, combine the chips with a set of new playing cards to upgrade your local home game.

Total Cost: $60.51 (Includes Chip Set, Cards, Dealer Button)

Automatic Card Shuffler

Speaking of local home games, there’s nothing worse than having to shuffle up and deal hands to everyone with your own hands like a peasant. Remove that problem with a casino-style, 6-deck automatic shuffler. Why six decks? Why not?

Total Cost: $12.82

Poker Table

We’ll be honest—this is a gift best reserved for only the nice kids on Santa’s list. Still, what poker player doesn’t dream about owning their very own custom table? If the four-figure price tag is outside of your budget—and we’ll admit that it probably is for most of you reading this—then there is also a slew of affordable options available.

Total Cost: From $3,994.99 to $128.00

Poker Tracking Software

If you truly want to take your game to the next level, then you need to start using Poker Tracking Software. This kind of software has been a staple for online players since the Moneymaker Effect led to the Poker Boom, and for good reasons—it offers fantastic analysis, tracking, a heads up display (HUD) and more. Most seasoned online players already have some sort of poker tracking software, but for the uninitiated, this is a great way to improve your play. We highly recommend PokerTracker or Hold’em Manager.

For the live players, we recommend the RunGoodApp. Similar to online poker trackers, if offers a way to track and manage your sessions.

Total Cost:
PokerTracker: From $59.99 to $159.99
Hold’em Manager: From $59.99 to $159.99
RunGoodApp: $17.99 (iTunes App Store)

Poker Books

Speaking of improving your play, there’s no better way to learn the ins and outs of poker than by picking up a book and learning from the greats. Most of the books are pretty inexpensive, and even if you aren’t looking to learn some new skills there is a pile of poker books with fun and interesting stories in them.

Total Cost: $15.00 and up

Poker Clothing

Keep your loved ones warm this winter with some new poker attire. Yes, you might look like a bit of a lame-o wearing it to your Thursday night poker game every single time, but hey, clothes are clothes. Our two favorite spots are RunGoodGear and 3Bet Poker Clothing.

Total Cost: $20.00 and up

Pre-Paid Credit Card

Kick-start your friend’s next run at online poker with a pre-paid credit card. This limits how much that person can buy in for—which is great for the degenerates—and it makes the perfect small gift to stuff into a stocking. You can typically pick up pre-paid credit cards from MasterCard or Visa at gas stations, convenience stores, and drug stores everywhere.

Total Cost: Ranges from $25 to $200

Online Poker Money Transfer

Even better than buying a pre-paid credit card is sending your friend/loved one a direct online transfer to his favorite poker site. This allows you to be a little more flexible with how much you send, plus you can also play with (or against) them for added fun.

Total Cost: Anything you want

Phil Hellmuth Signed Portrait