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The GameMasters Personal Links

These are the gambling web site links I use on an almost-daily basis and we wanted to feature them here, because a lot of you may be new to the Internet and have not yet built up your roster of "Favorites". These sites are listed because they deal in facts. I'm well aware, after five years of serious 'surfing', that there are sites out there which promise you the moon and deliver nothing. You won't find any of them here. I don't know where the 'hot' slots are located in a casino, but I do know where to find good strategy cards for different Video Poker games. I don't know what the next lottery number's going to be, but I know a place to calculate the odds properly.

For what it's worth, these links have the "GameMaster Tested" stamp of approval and I hope they help you as much as they've helped me. If your site is recognized on this page we invite you to display the "GameMaster Tested" logo.

[Blackjack Sites] [Video poker Sites] [General Gambling Information] [Books and Software]

The Blackjack Page
(http://www.bj21.com)
This is Stanford Wong's site and it offers a lot of good information on a wide variety of topics. Blackjack is, of course, the focus here, but video poker and other games are covered also. This site is primarily a group of message boards where readers post questions or information and other readers provide answers or comments. Like so many other boards like this, sometimes the 'conversations' denigrate into sophomoric name-calling, but on the whole, it's well-policed and the 'flames' are not overly distracting. This site has free message pages and two levels of membership: Green Chip and Black Chip. The Green level costs $49 a year and it's worth every penny if you play Blackjack at any level above beginner. The Black Chip costs $595 per year and is obviously geared towards those who either earn their living at the game or are very serious players.

The Blackjack Strategy Engine
(http://www.blackjackinfo.com)
This is a very nice, free service that helps you determine the proper Basic Strategy for your Blackjack game of choice. Just go to the site, plug in the rules of the game and in a matter of seconds, it will produce a strategy chart which you may print out. Fast, easy and accurate. An enhanced version is planned and that will give you the casino's edge on the game.

Blackjack Conditions and Specials (http://oldcorp.excite.com/people/skister/conds.html)
Scott Kister has been offering this free site for quite some time now and it's always worth a visit. Here you will find the locations, by city and casino, of the really good Blackjack games. Of course conditions can change at any time, but if you're heading for virtually any city in Nevada, or Mississippi, Louisiana, Illinois, Minnesota or Missouri, you'll want to go here first.

How House Rules Affect a Player's Advantage (http://www.s-a-g-e.com/houserls.html)
Just what is it worth to be able to double after splitting pairs? What does a casino gain by requiring their dealers to hit A-6? All those options and many, many more have been quantified in terms of the player's advantage (or disadvantage) and this site has a list of most of them. Posted by Sage Software, a company that makes Blackjack and Video Poker training programs, this a quick and handy reference guide. While you're there, try the Basic Strategy test. If you don't score 100%, you've got some work to do.

Grinder's Blackjack Warehouse (http://frontpage.inexpress.net/grinder/warehouse.htm)
"Grinder" is hereby officially declared a cool guy for putting up this free site. The main attraction for me is the many 'sims' or simulations which Grinder has run over the years. These are often comparisons of one counting system against another, given a specific set of Blackjack rules and playing conditions and the results can be very enlightening. If you're not sure that the counting system you're currently using is the best for your game of choice, you'll probably find some help here. A special note: check out his sims on the Ace-5 count, if you're just a 'casual' player.

Free Flashcard Program http://www.fortunecity.com/marina/customhouse/59/
This program's function is to help you practice counting cards. It covers all the popular counting systems and has various modes of operation, speeds, number of decks, etc. This was created by one of our readers who wanted a training device for himself and, in the spirit of all that's good on the 'Net, he has graciously made it available to you for free without any obligation whatsoever. It's a snap to set up and I recommend it highly.

The Vegas Player Message Board
(http://www.vegasplayer.com/wwwboard/index.html)
I go here almost every day to see 'what's up'. While concentrating mostly on Video Poker in Las Vegas, you'll almost certainly find something of interest, because Double Bonus poker is the same, regardless of where the machine's located and this site covers a lot of info about all the 'good' VP games. TomSki, of Video Poker Strategy Master fame contributes a lot to the posts here, as do a lot of other very serious VP players. But, even if you're a beginner, you'll find a visit here worthwhile. And, if you're about to go to Vegas, this place is a must. You'll find plenty of posts on comps, the location of good games, various stats, etc. And there's nothing limiting the posts to Vegas, so before you go to gamble at what is a new area for you, stop by. If conditions for your destination aren't listed, post a question and, most likely, one reader or another will have an answer.

The format has changed here to a "Members Only" situation, but membership is currently free. What you're joining is the "International Casino Players Association, which is a group formed as sort of a players' "lobby" to express the players' opinions to casinos. A noble endeavor.

Jazbo's Home Page
(http://www.jazbo.com)
"Jazbo" does a lot of analysis on games, money management and other interesting facets of Video Poker. To the best of my knowledge, he was the first to recognize that Pick 'Em poker had a 99.95% long term return and his was the first strategy card to be made available. Jazbo lives close to Atlantic City, so if you're considering a visit there, a stop at his home page is a must.

Jeff Lotspiech's Video Poker Page
(http://members.aol.com/lotsie/poker.html)
I go here a lot and I've often recommended this page in my VP articles. This is a treasure trove for VP players, no matter what your skill level is. For the beginner, there are free strategy charts which you can download and every player needs to try Jeff's "gambler's ruin" calculator, especially the next time that 10/7 Double Bonus game sucks up your $100 of quarters in an hour's play. (The probability of that happening, you'll find, is 36%). The gambler's ruin calculator is a wonderful, eye-opening device.

Barry Shiffrin's Atlantic City Information
(http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Portal/4572)
Barry is one of those nice guys on the Web who has put up a free game for the world to download. It's the Pick 'Em Poker game that can be found on some Bally "GameMaker" machines and you should get it. I go here a lot to check on the weather in Atlantic City, my old stomping grounds.

The Wizard of Odds
(http://www.thewizardofodds.com)
Want to know the odds of hitting 10 of 10 at Keno? It's here. Want to know how to extract the very last penny out of Caribbean Stud? It's here. What if a tie at Baccarat pays 9 to 1, instead of the usual 8 to 1? The difference in the casino edge can be found here. This is an excellent site covering the math at gambling and a lot more. It's easy to understand and is well worth a visit.

CasinoWire
(http://www.casinowire.com)
I go here for the news. The primary focus is on news as it affects on-line casinos and there's usually at least one good story each day. They also have some message boards which may interest you.

Cojelco: Tools For the Intelligent Gambler
(http://www.conjelco.com)
Before you buy any books or software on gambling, go here to see if they have it. Chuck, the owner, offers discounts to those who purchase on the Internet and, perhaps even more importantly, he knows and understands the value of these items to the player. Some software is very expensive, so you want to make sure it'll do what you want before you spend your hard-earned $$$. This is the place for the answers.