Texas Hold 'Em Craze Hits Retailers

Poker has been popular for at least two centuries, and many even go back farther than that to a similar game played in ancient Persia. In spite of its age, poker continues to attract new fans. The newest incarnation of the popular game is Texas Hold 'Em and retailers have taken notice. A new slate of poker themed books, games and merchandise has hit the store shelves and online retailer catalogues.

If you are in the dark about how to play Texas Hold 'Em, Texas Hold'em For Dummies ® Tin is a great place to start. For $24.99, the kit comes with a Texas Hold 'Em for Dummies Guidebook, a poker deck and 300 casino quality poker chips. You can be up and running your very own guys (or ladies) poker night in no time.

If you want something a little more high tech, the Texas Hold 'Em World Challenge TV game by Casio plugs into your TV's A/V connection. The game follows traditional rules and allows you to play against eight computer generated players. At $29.99, it's more expensive than a deck of cards, but at least the computer characters won't drink all your beer and trash your living room.

Snack issues aside, if you long for all night poker games with your buddies, the Trademark Vegas Home Texas Hold 'Em Set has everything you need to play like a pro. The set includes a folding casino table top to turn your dining room into a gaming hall, 650 embedded poker chips, a professional dealer button, two decks of casino style cards, an instructional DVD to give you pointers before you ever play your first hand and a sturdy carrying case to store it away. At $189.99, this Texas Hold 'Em set is for serious poker players-or for those who are serious about having fun.

If you're looking to take your Texas Hold 'Em show on the road, there are many hand held Texas Hold 'Em games that make playing away from the comfort of you home easy and fun. The Excalibur Texas Hold 'Em Poker Deluxe has a bright, full color LCD screen, automatic scoring, voice an sound effects and rules for 25 different poker games, all in the palm of your hand. Fight off boredom in the doctor's office, the DMV line or on airplanes or just practice you skills for your next poker tournament. At $22.99, the Excalibur Texas Hold 'Em Poker Deluxe is cheaper than a Gameboy.