TEXAS HOLDEM ONLINE POKER

Don't be surprised to find a full house under the Christmas tree this year. It could happen. But don't call for a plumber when a family member starts hoping for a royal flush.

The manly game of poker, it seems, has become this year's favorite game gift. It's all because of the ubiquitous powers of cable TV. For those obsessed with becoming quick on the draw for an ace in the hole, insight into the wily ways of Lady Luck can be found on the ESPN channel's "World Series of Poker," the Travel Channel's "World Poker Tour" and Bravo's "Celebrity Poker Showdown."

"I learned a lot watching the poker shows on TV," said 18-year-old Jessie Kearns, a student at Pima Community College. "I got interested in poker about a year ago, just learning by playing. But you have to learn a lot in a hurry.

"Watching those shows I learned faster because on the shows they explain everything - the rules, the odds of getting a better hand than the other guy, things like that."

Retail stores coast to coast, as diverse as Wal-Mart and Toys 'R' Us, have added poker gear to their inventory.

"It's exploded," said Scott Kling, vice president of sales and marketing for the licensee selling World Poker Tour merchandise. "Poker has gone from just being popular to being at Cabbage Patch levels (of sales)," he told Gannett News Service.

A random check of local stores confirms the buzz. Sure enough, tucked into a corner of Toys 'R' Us on North Oracle Road is a section offering a complete Texas Hold 'Em set with 200 chips, chip rack and felt playing surface for $19.99. There is also a "Deluxe Revolving Poker Rack" that includes 200 chips and two decks of cards for $19.99. Another poker layout advertises it will transform "any table into a poker table" for $9.99.

"The Texas HoldEm and the World Series of Poker lines are both selling very well," said Andy Ferell, manager of the Discovery Channel Store at Park Place. "One reason for the popularity is that the personalities of the players on the TV shows are so colorful. When you watch them play you realize you are watching something special."

Poker fan J.J. Giddings, who agrees completely, admits to "watching those games too much, probably."

His favorite is ESPN's "World Series of Poker." He likes how the players "develop their own personality quirks."

Says Giddings, "It's the only show on ESPN where I can watch and think, 'I could be one of those guys.' "

In fact ... cue line here ...

Giddings enjoys watching the strategy and excitement of the games so much he is thinking of buying poker items for Christmas gifts. "I was looking at a lot of the merchandise online - I may buy some."

Ferell thinks the TV shows also have another quality that has made poker items so popular with so many people this Christmas.

"The shows encourage every level of player, from entry level to intermediate to advanced," the manager said. "And by watching you can learn other skills, like how to bluff," he chuckled. "Most people don't bluff well."

Not to make too many assumptions here, but if we assume poker players will spend a lot of their spare time playing poker - Kearns, the college student, estimates he has 20 friends who play regularly and says there are always several games going every week - these card swapping enthusiasts will have put off Christmas shopping until the last minute.

So here's a holiday tip, for the player and friends of the player. Everybody's favorite stop for buying last-minute gifts late into the night on Christmas Eve, the Walgreens stores, are well-stocked with poker paraphernalia.

Not only are there official World Poker Tour playing cards for $2.99 a pack, the Texas HoldEm professional poker set with cards, chips and dealer button in a nice carrying case for $9.99, but you can also find the DVD "Secrets of No-Limit HoldEm" for $14.99. Personally, I'd start with that one.