Alongside magazines devoted to fitness, automobiles, baseball, fishing, etc, one can now also find a selection of titles focusing on the stories, strategies, and events concerning the world of poker - online and off-line! In the last year, more than 10 new titles have appeared in stores across the country. The newfound interest in the activity has even forced older titles, such as Card Player, to improve their product (i.e. invest more money!) to keep up with the emergence of new competition and higher circulations. The result: a larger and more nuanced choice of information available to YOU the consumer.

Most magazines target different demographics and focus on different aspects of the game. Bluff, for example, is aimed at the younger generation of players and essentially represents the Maxim of poker as it focuses on the fun and sexy nature of the activity. Others devote more attention, and in some cases ALL of their attention, to statistics and strategies. However, the overall majority try to include as much information as possible from across the spectrum while simultaneously differentiating themselves from their competitors through the quality of their presentation and choice of topics. Newly-founded All In, for instance, includes interviews with poker legends on aspects of the game that might appeal to new players.

Although there are no reliable figures as of yet, all in all, total poker magazine revenues are said to be around $5 to $10 million a year which is comparable to other specialty fields such as triathlons and other smaller hobbies. As long as the interest remains - and most signs indicate that itís only growing - publishers will continue to improve their product and itís likely that weíll all see more titles available at the newsstand. And, as we all know, the more information we have at our disposal, the more prepared we are to play and enjoy the experience.