If poker had its own month, it would be January, especially in 2006. The toughest decisions you face is where to go to play. You'll be able to find major tournament action in Mississippi, New Jersey and New York.

MISSISSIPPI: Who would have ever imagined that Tunica, Mississippi would become such a keystone of poker that two major events would take place virtually simultaneously - The Gold Strike World Poker Open at the Gold Strike and the Jack Binion World Series Circuit Event at the Grand.

MISSISSIPPI: Gold Strike World Poker Open, Gold Strike Casino Resort, January 9-23, 2006: This is the WPO's 7th year, and it is again a televised World Poker Tour event with the main event final table filming on Monday, January 23. Players who thrive on lively side action are sure to arrive on Friday, January 6, to take advantage of the first weekend's play.

You can count on well run tournaments with the Poker Room Manager, Robin Fisackerly, pulling double duty as the Tournament Coordinator and Jack McClellan as Tournament Director. This year all players start with double chips; that's right, double the amount of your buy-in. If the buy-in is $1,000, you'll start with 2,000 chips. For the main $10,000 event, you'll start with 20,000 chips.

The ten, $540 No-limit Hold'em evening events begin on the 9th. The daily events start at noon on Tuesday, January 10, with a $1,060 No-limit event. If you plan on winning your entry into the main event, the Super Satellite days are January 17 & 18, with the main event commencing January 19th. The $340 Women's No-limit Texas Hold'em event is scheduled for Saturday, January 21. Room rates are $49 for the event. Call the poker room for reservations. Check out www.GoldStike.com.

MISSISSIPPI: Jack Binion WSOP Circuit Event, January 5-27, 2006: This is the first year the World Series of Poker Circuit Event will come to the Tunica Grand Casino. In this 22-event series, ten are $550 buy-in tournaments with an interesting variety of games. Even though poker gained its current fame through No-Limit Texas Hold'em tournaments, you'll also find Omaha, Seven Card Stud, Razz, Triple Draw Low-Ball, Limit Hold'em plus a Women's No-Limit Hold'em event. The Women's event will be held on Sunday, January 22.

Satellites for the daily and main event run throughout the tournament, however, Super Satellites for the main event are scheduled for January 22 & 23. First place winners for the majority of the daily events will also receive entry into the main event. ESPN will be covering the entire tournament and televising most, if not all, final tables of the various events. The filming of the $10,000 main event will take place on January 27. Johnny Grooms and Jack Effel are the WSOP Circuit Tournament Directors and will be announcing the final table.

When asked about the expected size of the tournament, Grand's Poker Manager, Karen Kaegin, said, "We are guaranteeing 114 tables for the Circuit Event, possibly 120, which can accommodate 1,140 to 1,200 participants, and we have three hotels to accommodate guests at only $49 a night. Just call and we'll provide FREE transportation from the Memphis airport. We also provide shuttles from the Grand to the Horseshoe, our sister property." Check out www.Caesars.com/GrandCasino/Tunica.

NEW JERSEY: Borgata Winter Poker Open, January 20 - February 1, 2006: This premier event will mark the fourth time the World Poker Tour has visited Borgata, and the second time in just six months. The last Borgata WPT event was held in September 2005, and Stan Stickland, Borgata's Director of Poker Operations, said the September event exceeded their expectations. "We anticipate that poker will play an even more significant role at Borgata in 2006 when we more than double the size of our existing poker room."

No-Limit Texas Hold'em is the game of choice for this 11-day event with one day of Limit Hold'em. The Women's No-Limit event is January 26. The main event starts January 29, and the final table WPT filming is on February 1. Borgata's Director of Tournaments, Tab Duchateau, will oversee this Borgata Winter Poker Open.

In 2006 the Borgata's poker room is moving to a new location at the entrance to the casino floor and expanding from its current 34 tables to 85 poker tables. Check out The Borgata.

NEW JERSEY: Atlantic City Hilton - While you're in Atlantic City, visit the brand new poker room, just opened December 2005! Check out Atlantic City Hilton.

NEW YORK: The Seneca World Poker Classic, January 24 - February 2, 2006: Hosted at the Seneca Niagara Casino and Hotel in Niagara Falls, this event will be spearheaded by Seneca's Poker Director Mike Gainey, as well as Veteran Tournament Directors Matt Savage and Dave Lamb along with Seneca's Tournament Director Carlee Hunter. Nine evening, low buy-in second-chance No-Limit and Limit Hold'em events will provide plenty of action for eager tournament players.

The Seneca World Poker Classic features an exciting combination of four, one-day events plus three championship events . . . Oklahoma Johnny Hale's Championship, a $330 Limit Hold'em event on Friday, January 27; Seneca World Poker Classic No-Limit Hold'em Championship Event, a $5,100 three-day event January 28-30; and the two-day Canadian/ American Poker Challenge Championship, a $1,580 No-Limit Hold'em championship on January 31 & February 1.

Expect to see notables such as Linda Johnson, Jan Fisher, Tom McEvoy, and Men "The Master". As a special bonus, Seneca Niagara Casino will host a FREE Poker Seminar for tournament participants. Developed and presented by Donna Blevins and Greg Weitzel, this seminar, Poker, The Great Equalizer, is to the point with segments designed to stimulate the novice as well as challenge the advanced player. Check out Seneca Niagara Casino.

OKLAHOMA in February: Be sure to mark February 6-12, 2006 for the Oklahoma State Championship of Poker in Tulsa at the Cherokee Casino. It's sure to be worth the trip! Check out Cherokee Casino.

Remember, if you can't raise, don't call.