| Volume 1: Strategic Play (2004) Volume 2: The Endgame (2005) Volume 3: The Workbook (2006) | |
| Author | Dan Harrington |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Two Plus Two Publishing |
Harrington on Hold 'em is a series of poker books about poker strategy, particularly for Texas hold 'empoker tournaments. They were all written by Dan Harrington and Bill Robertie and published by Two Plus Two Publishing.
Background[edit]
The Harrington on Hold 'em series of books were written by Bill Robertie and Dan Harrington, a professional poker player who has earned over US$4.5 million during his poker career. He has won two World Series of Poker bracelets, including one from the 1995 World Series of Poker Main Event,[1] and he has made it to four final tables in total at the World Series of Poker (in 1987, 1995, 2003, and 2004).[2]
Harrington on Hold’em Volume 1 Overview. Dan Harrington, sporting one of the best poker tournament track records in history, creates a thorough guide to no-limit hold’em tournament poker in Harrington on Hold’em. To briefly sum up his credentials, Harrington won the WSOP Main Event in 1995 and made back-to-back final tables in 2003 and 2004.
Synopsis[edit]
Volume 1: Strategic Play (ISBN978-1880685334), which contains seven key sections, begins by introducing the reader to poker and its history, along with a glossary of poker terms. The book is not written for novices to the game, therefore it does not include some of the more basic information about the game, such as poker hands, the game's mechanics, betting, etc.[1] This entry in the series focuses on the basics of poker, such as playing styles, starting hands, pot odds, and hand analysis. CardPlayer felt that Harrington, a former chess master, wrote the book like a chess guide, noting, 'He poses situations, asks the relevant questions, and then provides solutions. A simple diagram depicts position, blinds, and chip stacks, and then a specific challenge is articulated.'[2]
Volume 2: The Endgame (ISBN978-1880685358) focuses on strategies used in poker tournaments, particularly on how to change playing styles depending on how large a chipstack is compared to the blinds. It also introduces related concepts such as the M-ratio and the Q-ratio.[2]
Volume 3: The Workbook (ISBN978-1880685365) is essentially a workbook containing many example scenarios for readers to apply concepts learned from the first two volumes in the series.[3]
Reception[edit]
Greg Hill of the website Poker News noted that since Volume 1 does not include some of the more basic information about poker, it potentially discriminates against novice players and therefore could possibly be restricting the book's audience to a more limited audience. However, Hill noted that the book is 'well written and well structured', making it easy to pick up the book and begin reading from any section of interest.[1] Tim Peters of poker magazine CardPlayer felt that the books are essential in helping players prepare for poker tournaments.[2] Jeff Haney of the Las Vegas Sun considers the series to be 'required reading' for anyone interested in participating in high-stakes tournament poker. The level of play in major poker tournaments have gotten significantly tougher and more competitive since the release of the first book in the series, according to several experts on poker tournaments, including poker professional Blair Rodman and Mason Malmuth, the owner of the books' publishing company. Harrington himself is sometimes the victim of the strategies that he suggests in his books.[4] In addition, players have thanked him afterward for teaching them the new moves. 'I find people are using a lot of the techniques I wrote about in the books against me,' said Harrington.[4]
References[edit]
- ^ abcHill, Greg (2006-08-16). 'UK Poker News Review: Harrington on Hold'em – Volume 1'. PokerNews. Retrieved 2009-08-13.
- ^ abcdPeters, Tim (2006-07-25). 'Your World Series of Poker Reading List'. CardPlayer. Retrieved 2009-08-13.
- ^Hill, Greg (2006-09-18). 'Harrington on Hold'em – Volume 2: The Endgame'. PokerNews. Retrieved 2009-08-13.
- ^ abHaney, Jeff (2005-10-26). 'How poker players use strategies learned in Dan Harrington's two popular books on Texas hold 'em'. Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved 2009-08-13.
External links[edit]
Authors Dan Harrington and Bill Robertie
Find out how to qualify for this book in the Two Plus Two poker bonus program
Synopsis of Harrington on Hold'em, Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments; Volume III : The Workbook
Poker has taken America by storm. But it's not just any form of poker that has people across the country so excited - it's no-limit hold 'em - the main event game. And now - thanks to televised tournaments - tens of thousands of new players are eager to claim their share of poker glory.
In the first volume of this series, Harrington on Hold 'em: Volume I: Strategic Play, Dan Harrington explained the basics of the game, and how to play in the early stages of tournaments, where the players have deep stacks and the blinds and antes are small. In the second volume, Harrington on Hold 'em: Volume II: The Endgame, he explained how to play the later stages of tournaments, when the prize money was within sight. In this book, Dan gives you problems to test how well you grasped the principles of the first two volumes. In addition, many of the problems focus on the key area that causes difficulties for so many aspiring players: how to play after the flop.
Dan Harrington won the gold bracelet and the World Champion title at the $10,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold 'em Championship at the 1995 World Series of Poker. And he was the only player to make the final table in both 2003 (field of 839) and 2004 (field of 2,576) - considered by cognoscenti to be the greatest accomplishment in WSOP history. In Harrington on Hold 'em, Harrington and two-time World Backgammon Champion Bill Robertie have written the definitive books on no-limit hold 'em for players who want to win - and win big.