Harrington on Hold 'em Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments, Vol. 2: Endgame

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Harrington and Robertie have surely done it again -- even more powerfully than in their first volume. They have presented the authoritative text about how to think about and how to play a final table in a no limit hold em tournament. And in so doing they have redefined the game.
Harrington and Robertie introduce a whole new lexicon (at least it was new to me) about no limit poker: inflection points, red zones, dead zones, green zones, probe bets, continuation bets. Some of these phrases I had heard -- maybe even dropped to impress people from time to time. But they explain them clearly and tie them all together in a vivid strategic picture of the game.
But even if you were familiar with all of these terms and phrases that help clarify the many otherwise intuitive concepts of no limit tournament play, you've never read a simpler, clearer or more powerful explanation of them -- and all of the different stages players enter as their stack size grows and diminishes at the final table in a tournament. Similarly so with other vital concepts to no limit play like continuation and probe bets and final table play. Harrington and Robertie take the ideas that excellent players have intuitively known but until now have not fully expressed and put them into clear, simple language that any moderately experienced player can readily grasp and absorb. The hand examples, which the authors think us through further drive home the key points of this masterwork.
To say that this is a must read for every serious hold em player doesn't do it justice. It is a book that has set a new standard for poker literature. Even if you are a very experienced winning no limit tournament player, this book will help you think and play. And I don't think that it is overstating it to say that it will significantly change the way players talk and write about the game in the future.
Bravo Harrington and Robertie. Your two volumes are by far the best I have ever read -- and I've read just about everything that's out there.

This book and its companion Volume II are like my bibles. I have only being playing online poker tournaments and sit-and-go games
for three months and am already consistently winning money and getting to the final table in tournaments of 150 players or so, and have won a couple too.

When I started I bought a number of books that were well reviewed on Amazon, but frankly the rest of them are not worth a hill of beans, whereas this one is worth its weight in gold. I will not go into a description of the contents, because so many reviews have already done so, but if you want to master tournament poker, or you want a great gift for your family poker player, then look no further.

I should also say that the book is extemely well written, which is not always the case with poker books. The authorial voice is sometimes witty, and always a great friend and companion.

This book is the definitive work on the subject of no limit hold'em tournament play. I just hope my opponents don't read it.

There is an old adage that says sequels are never as good as the original. For the most part this saying holds true but then there is the exception. Back in 1974 a sequel came out that broke the mold of how a second movie was expected to turn out. There will be endless discussions regarding which of the 2 films was superior, but there was no denying that when the second film was made, it not only was a success, but one of the greatest movies ever made.

That film was The Godfather, Part II

With 'Harrington on Hold'em Volume II: Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments: Endgame', Action Dan has managed to make the impossible possible. He (along with Bill Roberte) have written a sequel so good that it is hard to distinguish the two books and easily point to a reason why the first book is better than the sequel.

With the focus being how to play the middle to end stages of a tournament, Harrington has written a book that even the most experienced of players will be able to profit from. My favorite 2 points made in this book are as follows:

1. The concept of M and why it is so important to always know where your stack is in relation to the antes and blinds.

2. When heads up, nearly any 2 cards are worth playing and you are never that far behind.

I really hope that Dan Harrington doesn't sell a lot of these books, because anyone that reads, learns, and follows the advice within is going to become a much better poker player. Employing a writing style that makes even the most difficult concepts easy to understand and follow, the end result is incredible.

I said it when I reviewed the first book, these are the most important poker books written since Doyle Brunson's Super/System which came out in the 1970s, and it is REQUIRED reading for ALL Hold 'Em players.

Wonderful, wonderful poker book by one of the best players in the world.

***** HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION

Everyone else has pretty much summed this book up, for players with a solid game that want to take that next step, these books are the bibles of poker, specifically tournament poker.

As was already mentioned, Harrington has a reputation of being a tight, conservative player but his advice on playing when short stacked is far from conservative. He explains why it is so necessary to avoid being blinded down to the point where at least the big blind has pot odds to call with virtually any two cards.

The chapter on calculating the ratio of your chip stack to the size of the pot at the start of the hand (defined as your "M") is the single most important chapter of a poker book I have ever read. He explains why hands that are playable with a big stack are unplayable with a small one, and just as importantly how hands that are playable with a small stack are not with a bigger stack!

I consider myself a pretty good hold 'em player, but as another reviewer also said, I would so often make the money but without many chips to advance to where the real money is. Since reading this three book trilogy and Volume II in particular, my play late in tourneys when the bubble is approaching has improved immensely. The way Harrington explains things just makes so much sense. My natural style is to play fairly tight so Harrington's style is one I try to emulate. I was stunned reading the sections on short stack play, to see how many "weak" hands he recommended playing, but the way he explains why just makes sense.

And unlike so many pros that have authored books (particularly Phil Hellmuth), there is little mention of reading opponents based on physical tells, but more along the lines of being able to determine an opponent's holding based on what style they play. The truly great pros rely a lot on reading their opponents based on mannerisms along with betting patterns, but for the rest of us, smart analytical play is the best way for us to be successful.

In addition, the book has several problem hands taken from online play rather than from live tournaments. In far too many poker instruction books, the author assumes that your opponents are always excellent players. Online however, there are many players that are average or worse and Harrington shows how those players can be exploited.

He also explains the big difference in strategy as the bubble is near in tournaments and sit-and-go one table online games, one of the few poker books I have ever seen to do this.

If you are a primarily a tournament player, whether online, live or both, you simply must read these books. Volume I is more of a book that covers the basics, Volume II is really simply the rest of Volume I and covers end game play and includes an extensive section on heads-up play.

I have paid for these books many, many times over, I cannot recommend these books too highly!

I've been playing poker for about three years now casually but for the last year I've put in more hours into improving my game. I currently consider myself a decent tournament player with 50% of my tournament results ending in the money and the other 50% on the bubble.

The problem was, once I made the money, I rarely had chips to play and usually get blinded out. This is where Harrington on Hold'em comes into effect. As soon as I bought Volume 1 I finished it in less than 24 hours. It is that good. Volume 1 gives you a good core on how to approach tournaments and teaches you how to play with discipline. For me, I already knew most of the concepts but reading the book help clean up my game and patch loose ends.

Volume 2 is where it gets exciting. I've recently started Volume 2 and am already impressed. Volume 2 discusses the end game of tournaments which includes making moves, bluffs, and playing short handed; all of which I needed a lot of help on. While Volume 1 is good I think Volume 2 is what separates the men from the boys. Being able to pull off well timed bluffs is a valuable skill in hold'em because it is always more rewarding to win a huge put with a bluff than a monster hand.

I'd like to think of the set in this sense. Volume 1 is like the good girl you want to marry and bring home to mom. She'll wash your clothes, cook you meals, do the dishes, but over time you'll get tired of her because she is just too predictable and boring.
Volume 2 is that sexy bad girl you constantly fantasize about. She is seductive, exciting, and a pure freak. As much as you enjoy the hot steamy romps, there really is no future for the both of you because she is too unstable. Adding both of these books to your arsenal is like finding the perfect woman.

I hear Volume 3 is coming out in May and I can't wait. If you really want to improve your tournament game, you have to get the entire set.

The real surprise about this book is not how good it is. The true wonder is that it or something like it has not already been written!

Super/System by Doyle Brunson is considered by many to be the poker player's "Bible." While Super/System is an excellent cash game book, and a great introduction a wide variety of poker games, it has little to say about tournament play. If you've played in both tournaments and cash games, you know that the strategic difference between the two is enormous!

The poker "boom" has caused greater involvement in all forms of poker, yes, but the game on everyone's mind is the No-Limit Texas Hold 'em Tournament. It's what you see the pros playing on TV, and it's where the largest prize pools can be won. I've been wondering since Moneymaker's victory at the 2003 World Series--WHY hasn't a definitive straegy volume on tournament No-Limit Texas Hold 'em been published?

There were a few places to turn before Harrington on Hold 'em. David Sklansky's Tournament Poker for Advanced Players is not bad, although it's my belief that it contains a good ammount of misinformation (besides, what tournaments have you seen Sklansky win? Have you ever seen him at a final table, even?) I believe that Cloutier and McEvoy have a few tournament books as well, but I haven't heard good things about them.

Harrington on Hold 'em is, at long last, a book which reveals everything one might ever need to know to play tournament No-Limit Texas Hold 'em. Harrington meticulously describes not only bluffing and slow-playing, but every different type of bluffing and slow-playing, when to use them and when not to. Harrington claims that his section on inflection points is the most important, and he's right. Inflection points are the absoulte essence of no-limit, and if you aren't aware of them on a least a subconcious level, you will fail at tournament poker.

Even if you think you are a great player, I still cannot stress how much you should read this book. You have no idea how much better you can get! At the very least, reading this book will validate plays you have already been making, justifying them as "correct" in a professional's knowing mind and giving you the confidence to use them again in the future.

In short, if you play tournament No-Limit Texas Hold 'em, YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK!!

I had been anxiously awaiting this book since reading Harrington's "Volume One Strategic Play." Well, I wasn't disapointed. There are many things revealed that have never been revealed before in poker books. The section on heads up is especially educational and eye-opening. This book is not for beginners and you should definitely read volume one before cracking this one. Both books are well worth the investment believe me. They are by far the best!

Dan Harrington, Harrington on Hold'em: Expert Play for No-Limit Tournaments, vol II: Endgame (Two Plus Two, 2005)

Well, Harrington on Hold'em vol. I was fantastic; why should we expect anything less from volume II? And it should be no surprise when Harrington delivers.

In Volume I, we learned about early- and middle-stage play. Volume II covers the endgame-- short tables, short stacks, getting blinded out, that sort of thing. If the book does have a weakness, it's that most of Harrington's scads of examples put the player on a medium or high stack; one would expect a book aimed at teaching players to reflect more of where they're likely to be, which is at the bottom of the barrel. While Harrington does address this situation on occasion, it's not terribly often.

Volume III, a workbook, is poised and ready to drop as I write this. Can't wait. ****

I find myself continually re-reading Volume 1 of "Harrington on Hold 'em," so was ecstatic when Volume 2 was released. The most important benefit of Harrington's books is the depth with which he analyzes situational play. If you've ever found yourself feeling lost and pushed around in the latter stages of a NL Hold 'em tournament, this book is essential. This book really helped me understand just how dynamic the tournament environment is and how necessary it is to adapt your style of play. His Zone System is a brilliant way of tracking just what kind of shape you're in as the blinds continue to increase and the tables shorten. Implementing his Red Zone strategy has salvaged several tournaments for me. His chapter on heads-up play will give you a fighting chance to win it all if you've played successfully enough to get that point. Overall, Harrington's books just bring an amazing amount of clarity to a complex game. If you buy Harrington's books, don't just read them once. They bear re-reading many, many times because of the situational concepts they illustrate. These are truly masterful works that teach you how to think deeply about the game, not just play it mechanically. I can't wait for Volume 3, which is supposed to be a large collection of situations and problems in sort of a quiz format.

WOW! I have read many books of poker but nothing like this, this book is far the best book ever written even the best sellers like Doyle Brunson's Super System or Hold'Em Poker for Advanced Players do not have the information that this book has. Good concepts, good problems, and brillant part of head-ups.

Volume 1 was a brilliant introductory book on NLHE. VOLUME 2 is quite simply the most important book ever written on the subject of NLHE tournamant play.
Period.

I have owned this series for over a year and these books have helped me so much in understanding the game of NLHE better and has made me alot of $$$ over the last year, so I figured it was my duty to post an honest review...

Just like virtualy every review on amazon, I give this one 5+ Stars. Bottom Line: If you want to step up your NL Hold'em tourament game, these books will do it for you. You can only get so lucky in touraments, in the long run you need SKILL to be a winner and consitant in NLHE Touraments. The knowelege from these books combined with table experiance is in my opinion the making of a great overall NLHE Tourament player.

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE...This book teaches you the skills necessary to be sussesfull. You must understand: Proper Out Calculation, pot odds, implied odds, position, continuation bets, betting patterns, M, Q, Squeeze Plays, Gap theory, Value Bets, ect... ect....

These books cover just about all you need to be a sucessfull NL Tourament player. To understand and apply the knowlege in these books, and learning to think for yourself will make you lethal at the poker tables. You can read these books over and over again to absorb more knowlege and you will not get bored.

These books are Very well written and it's easy to understand the concepts. If you dont understand them Harrington gives you examples and senerios. I will personlly thank Dan Harrington for being so honest and for not holding anything back in these books. He has definatly taken a risk writing these books.
He writes about what no other NLHE books to date include. These books have helped me tremendously!! YOU MUST BOTH UNDERSTAND AND THEN APPLY THIS KNOWELEGE.This will give you an edge in touraments....Whenever I am playing a NLHE Tourament I hope that no one else at my table has the same knowlege from these books as I do.

The BEST (all of Harrington's)!! I've read most and this one isn't dry and boring. Well written and informative.

This is the motha of all poker books. Dan simply blows away Helmtuh, TJ (sorry TJ), and the older legend writer.

Dan proves why he has been to the final table more than anyone else. After reading this book I finally understood pot odds, implied odds, end play, etc.

There is so much it might make your head split, and it certainly will help you understand the game in much more vivid terms and at many different levels.

But...its thick, arduous, technical, and at times repetitive (as it certainly needs to be)

It took me a while to develop some of the skills Dan speaks of, and I am still filling in holes on my game, but I at least know the road to poker sucess.

Don't read this book, stay ignorant, give your money to me instead.

I have many books in my Poker Library, but if you are looking for just one or two of the best on how to improve your No Limit Tournament play this is the one. Buy this book together with Volume I. I especially liked the chapter on inflection points. I was having the problem of making it to the final table with a moderate to short stack. This chapter gives specific information to determine where you stand and what strategy to use. Buy this book, put it in your library and read it more than once.

Both this book and its companion volume 1 are two of the best tourney books out there. Harrington, though not as hyped as several players on TV, has been at the final table of the main NLHE WSOP tournament three times, capturing the gold bracelet in 1995.

According to one estimate, Harrington's winnings are almost $3.5 million. The man knows poker.

In hand-by-hand questions and answers, Harrington analyzes the late game and final table struggles. He begins with moves you need to get ahead late in a tournment. (Just to underline that you should have read the first volume, the opening chapter here is chapter 8.)

Then he covers his main theme, inflection points: the clash between the blinds and antes and you stack of chips, when extreme measures -- like going allin -- are necessary. To a non-pro player, the hands he will move allin are surprisingly weak: even QT offsuit. What? (I guess that's why I'm not a pro.) Next he discusses multiple inflection points, short handed play, and finally headsup play.

Many of his ideas are surprising to me. For example, the better your starting hand is, the less you bet. You want someone to call your better hands.

This is an important tourney book by a WSOP winner. You need this book in your poker library. You really should buy it, but go ahead and talk your friends out of getting it. It's just too good to share.

Buy this as one of a set of two (buy Vol I)

Read em, then read em again...the get them blessed at your church find a nice leather jacket for them and put them beside your bed...just like you would your bible. The best part of all...'how to think' at a poker table under a variety of situations...excellent

These 2 books by Dan Harrington are absolutely the best you can buy for playing No Limit Hold'Em Poker.

Dan provides solid theory backed by numerous examples which fully explain the thought processes to be used.

With these 2 books, all (lol) you need is the discipline to think and follow his ideas.

What an incredible book! This book goes much further into the details of tournament poker than any other I've ever read. If you find yourself getting to the final table a lot but not cashing, this one is an absolute must!!

My one criticism is that there are relatively few absolutes - but then, that's poker, isn't it? Clearly AX offsuit is a raising hand heads-up, and probably three-handed. How small does the table have to be for it to be playable at all? He doesn't really say - but maybe there are no absolute correct answers!!

I am now learning the process of figuring out the opponent's hand based on his bets etc., and the examples in this book do a ton of that. I've read through it, and will go through it taking notes, and again with cards, and again, and again....

If you're serious about poker, this one (and his first book) are ESSENTIAL components of your library.

This book is by far the best book ever written for no limit texas hold 'em!! It introduces many concepts that have never been touched by other books such as the zones, inflection points, and heads up play. The heads up section is an absolute masterpiece. That was the one part of my game that I dreaded, I was lost when it came to heads up, but Dan gave a list of what hands to raise with and how much to raise. He made clear what hands were good after the flop and how to play them accordingly. What was really cool about that section was that he took several hands Phil Ivey and John D'agostino played heads up and analyzed each play. Heads up is now the stongest part of my game. After reading the book you will gain a good feel about how to adjust as the blinds go up and tables shrink. But its very important to have read volume I first. The book is easy to read and understand, but you should have a pretty good sense of tournament play before reading it. Great work Dan!!!!

I've now read both Harrington's Volumes I & II on Texas Hold em - terrific books. This volume (II - Endgame) is an essential follow up to Volume I. I've read Brunson's Super System. He's got some good insights, but alot of rambling too. Alot of these poker books are about the authors philosophy of poker and the great accomplishments they had - who cares? Just tell me how to make good bets! And that's just what Harrington does. Harrington's book really gives you the nuts and bolts of good poker. When I was at my first tournament, I remember most of the time not really knowing what decisions to make, whether it was pre-flop, post-flop etc. I was always going by my "instincts". Well guess what? My instincts suck - as do most people's. Yeah, you may get a good read once in a while, but that's it. I finally feel like I can make good decisions. I never had any idea the game was so complicated, but I have a much better appreciation for it now. One of the best things it taught me, and that I wasn't doing, was to try and figure out what the other players had based on their betting and their styles. If you do read this book, I hope I never have to play against you!

Absolutely the best book on no limit tournament play. It is the greatest!

This book is one of the best to read for no limit poker. Dan Harrington is known as simply one of the best poker players ever.

In general I like Dan Harrington's way of teaching poker. His books are packed with very good examples and he describes the logic of his actions very well.

Volume II could've been as great as vol I. However this first printing (June 2005) contains a lot of printing errors and other logical errors and unfortunately Two plus two publishing provides no error correction for their books on their homepage. Most of the time you can figure out what he means or what's wrong with the example but not all the time.

For instance, example hands 11-18 and 11-19 makes no sense when you read them together. Both examples describe a similar situation where you're up against a conservative player. However when Harrington later explains why he acted differently in the latter situation he then says it's because the opponent in 11-18 was an aggressive player (that plays more hands)...

Thoroughout example 11-18 the opponent was described as a conservative player (just as in 11-19) so the conclusion is a true contradiction and the reader is left with no help on how to act in situations like these.

Harrington on Hold'em Volumes I and II are the only books I have ever read which have taught me how to earn money. This may be the first poker book ever published in which the author actually appeared to be more interested in teaching people how to play poker than in making money from book sales and gratifying his ego. It is evident throughout the book that Mr. Harrington is a classy human being who loves professional poker, and wants to give something back to the game.

Harrington on Hold'em, Volumes I and II are the best books ever written on No Limit Texas Hold'em tournament play. If you want to learn how excellent players approach situations in all phases of NL tournament play, read and study Dan Harrington's books. Both volumes are suitable for intermediate and advanced Hold'em players. Beginners should first learn the basics of Hold'em before tackling Mr. Harrington's books. He writes clearly and succinctly, and remarkably, even the most advanced concepts are fairly easy to understand. Both volumes are coherent and well organized. They cover most important aspects of NL tournament play and include in depth analysis appropriate for playing on-line tournaments, one table satellites, SNG's, and large multi-table tournaments.

Both text and the examples of sample hands at the end of each chapter are comprehensive, and very well written. Remarkably, Dan Harrington is an outstanding teacher, as well as a great poker player.

Volume I covers the beginning and middle stages of No Limit, tournament play. Important concepts such as pot odds, implied odds, folding equity, betting sequences, and table image are clearly explained, and a large number of sample hand examples and analysis are included which clarify all of the concepts covered. Much of the text covers strategy which should be employed against good to excellent players, but Mr. Harrington offers some guidance on how players should adjust their play against average and weak opponents. Although he discusses conservative, aggressive, and super-aggressive types of play, he primarily teaches his preferred style of play, tight-aggressive, which generally is the optimal style for most players.

Volume II analyzes the latter stages of tournament play, the final table, short-handed situations, and heads-up play. Harrington's concept of zones and "M" (a measure of a player's chip stack relative to the blinds and antes) is an innovative tool that facilitates good decision making in the middle and late stages of tournaments.

Without being didactic or heavily psychoanalytic, Mr. Harrington teaches his readers that outstanding poker players have courage, and must frequently take calculated risks during tournament play to maximize their chances of winning. He clearly differentiates between aggressive moves with positive expectations, and foolish aggression. The most critical chapters cover inflection points (critical periods), when players must make dramatic plays in order to optimize their chances of advancing in a tournament. He clearly defines when positive expected value plays should be made, and situations when pot odds should be disregarded.

Harrington on Hold'em, Volumes I and II may be the best poker books ever published.

I found this book to be of particular use because it focused on topics not often covered in the other popular Hold'Em volumes (e.g., how tournament strategy differs by stage of event; short handed play; heads up play; making moves). In addition, the book is a nice combination of higher-level strategy with tactical guidance (i.e., specific hand charts and odds). I feel that this book helped my game signficantly and gives me a measurable edge in 'final table' situations against players that have not learned the concepts that Harrington presents.

I would recommend that you read Volume One before reading this book. Volume One is focused more on general play at full tables. It does a great job of laying out both strategy and tactics, and the hand histories are particularly useful and thought provoking.

I am primarily a ring-game NL player, but have found no decent books on the game. Harrington's book, although geared for NL tournament play, is the most useful book I have read on NL play in general. Well worth the investment.

Yes, this is must for the contemproary no limit hold'em pokerplayer that wants to be a succesfull tournamentplayer. Not for beginners. Very interesting with an high intelligent and mathematical approach to the game. 5+ stars

Vol. 2 is an incredible source and work book for various levels of play. Harrington successfully details strategies and plays that are specific to NL hold'em and NL tourney's in specific. But, much of the information can be cross-applied to ring games as well. Whereas Vol 1 really presented the basics and overarching concepts, Vol. 2 takes to the specific needs of various players covering different styles and methods to use when in equitable situations. The only flaw is that we may have to wait years before Harrington or 2+2 publishing comes out with a great NL book specifically for ring/cash games, especially as the popularity of hold'em increases and more and more casinos are filled with players.

Excellent book, as the first one was. The first book had concepts that was a bit known amongst regular pokerplayers that have read some books. Althou it had some really usefull stuff, the second one had some concepts I havent seen in any other book. A must have.

I'm new to the game, having played for six months. But it wasn't until reading these books that I realized I had some control over my game. Harrington combines theory with practicality. He puts you at numerous tables, the make-up of each one different than the others, and challenges you to decide how much you'd bet and why you would bet in each situation. Then he gives his opinion. As in a real game, not all hands are won, not all hands are played as he would play them, and he factors in the element of luck. This is a book for serious players.

Good, solid fundamentals. I am a conservative player and I found this (and his first book) very helpful. I am playing better and better.

I have read a lot of books on Hold'em, some useful and some worthless. However, the Harrington on Hold'em Series is far and away the best instruction out there. The Harrington Vol. 2 (Harrington Red) takes you into the strategy and tactics of the latter stages of a no-limit tournament, where he guides you into making it into the money, the final table, short table, and ultimately Heads Up for the championship. You will learn key tripwires on when you MUST make a move while on the bubble, as your stack gets small and the Blinds get big.

Harrington and Robertie's books not only provides outstanding instruction, but also provide a refreshing read with amusing anecdotes, excellent hand summaries, and great sports and pop culture references (the parable of the "Dark Tunnel Bet" and the stupid teenagers that say, "lets go into this dark scary looking house and look around," was particularly hilarious.

I find the Harrington Trilogy valuable is because I have won money with it. I was a consistent loser online and in Casino tournaments. But armed with Harrington's strategy, I have won some fairly big tournaments and have total confidence that I can play any level of tournament without looking like a donkey or fish.

This will take your no limit tournament game to a new level! I would recommed to anyone who plays NLH tournaments.

"Action" Dan may not have won WSOP titles lately, but he seems to hit a lot of final tables. Clearly his tight aggressive style, documented in this (and the prequel) book is a good reason why.

After watching Harrington in a couple of WSOP events, where you can see his hole cards and follow his action, it is interesting to see that he doesn't always follow his own advice. But it is clear that he uses his super tight image to make the occasional targeted bluff. In any case, both of these are excellent books on no limit holdem in general, and tournament poker in specific.

Highly recommended reading.

I well thought out exceptional book on advanced moves and more importantly, thinking. It moved my game up by years. A great read and a must for any library.

Has help me be more successful in finishing in the money. Excellent stragery for the end game.

After reading this book, I started seeing errors I had made in live NL tourbnaments and saw immediate improvements when I used the strategies online.

But the best part of this book is how it effects your ability to play better in a limit game. I finished playing a low limit game and won several additional hands because I saw all the Harrington concepts at play. This is an excellent instructional book on NL, NL tournament play and hold'em in general

I liked the first book in this set much better. The second one has much less material and more example hands. I actually went back and read part 2 twice and skipped the examples the second time. It took about an hour (just not that much there). I do like the fact that he does not focus only on the big hands but covers in depth more average hands.
There is an overall theme to this book which is about watching your stack size relative to the blinds and how this should affect your play. It does seem extream to me but I will give it a try and see if it works. My issues with this book are not meant as judgement of the strategy but more just disappointment with the quantity of material. Seemed to me the first book covered much more ground.
That said, Harrington's books are at the top of my list so far. He avoids silly stuff and is very rational. He covers the meat and potatoes of hold-em.

If you already have a solid understanding of the game then Vol 1 and Vol 2 are worth getting. Before purchasing these books I was stuck on a tournament "plateau", consistantly placing 12th through 20th but not any further. I have just read through both books ( I have yet to go back through and really study them) and have made 10 final tables in my last 13 tournaments, both online and in casinos.

This book is incredible. I read it, played a few small tourneys with my friends incorporating some of Harrington's principles, and then I went down to AC and WON the first tournament (one table sit&go) I entered down there. Worth the money easily.

For a player that frequents sit and go online tournaments (such as myself), this book is a must have. It expands on how to play at the beginning of a tourney in Volume I, to how you must adjust your game later on.

As noted by the many other reviewers, this is definately worth five stars.

this book is very informative but only apllies to advance players. harrington is very thorough and easily understandable in his description of many different tactics, moves, countermoves etc.

Excellent strategy and unselfish with the pro insight into the game. However, if you read Volume I, you must read Volume II in order to get the full benefit; Volume II certainly completes some ideas in Volume I. The advice from both books is all solid but because it is written around Harrington's general play, expect to undergo an adjustment period until you can successfully apply his investment tactics to your style.

I hate to rate this book good, because I don't want anyone to read it :-) but I think Harrington and Robertie deserve some props for their good book so I will give an honest review rather than try to lead people down the wrong path.

Basically, this book is for people who already know all the rules and some basic strategy. I am not a very advanced player, so I can't reallys say if this book is advanced or intermediate, but it seems pretty advanced to me. Bottom line is that you will get intermediate to advanced strategy from this book (and vol 1 which should be read first obviously). It goes beyond the basics of pot odds and reading the flop and counting odds, though these concepts are used in the strategies he talks about. This book is more about tournament management than straightforward strategy which is covered in vol 1.

I haven't found any better books on tournament hold em than vol 1 and 2 of Harrington, I haven't completed Super System 2, but so far I believe that these books are better.

Volume 1 by Dan Harrington was solid, but a little dry. This content in this book flows out like a raging river. This book is jam packed with several sophisticated concepts stacked right on top of each other.

Super System 2 is like a children's book compared to this one.

If you already know how to play a solid game, you can skip right to Volume 2 and be amazed how easy it is to survive big tournaments with a little focus.

Harrington shows his insight in how to play tournaments in a straight forward approach. At the end of each chapter he has problems in which he presents examples of hands and how he would approach them and the reasoning behind it. Harrington discusses pot odds quite a bit and how to control them and making your opponent make a mistake, something that the amateur player disregards. Harrington presents that poker is a long term game. Make the right move with the pot odds and over time you'll see a profit.

Outstanding book on Texas Hold 'Em. I can't imagine playing without having read this.

This book along with Volume 1 are a must read for anyone serious aboout Hold'em. You will come away from these books with a much greater understanding of the game.

They take you through every aspect of the game and break them down so that when you get to the "problem" sections of the book you have a clear understanding of what he is trying to teach. If you are looking for a good base understanding of the math and how to figure pot odds, implied odds, betting patterns and every other aspect of the game then these are the books for you.

These books WILL improve your game.

The first volume is very good. But this one is the best. Harrington makes you to win. It shows you to play in the later phases of a tournament. Read that stuff.

Some books are so good that they define their field. Every book that comes after may agree, disagree, or clarify what a definitive book has to say on its subject, but there is one thing subsequent books can't do: they can't ignore it. If you're a serious tournament poker player, you can't ignore the Harrington series. This is THE classic text on Texas hold em poker tournament strategy, bar none.

Vol. 2 continues the greatness of Harrington's series by moving away from the formulaic, conservative approach taken in Vol. 1. This is understandable, since you have to learn to walk before you can run. And by the time you finish Harrington Vol. 2, you'll be ready for the speed trials! Words like "highly recommended" can be overused, so I'll just say you'd be crazy to gamble any serious amount of money without buying and completely absorbing all three of Harrington's books. You should also re-read them right before any major event to clarify your thinking. They're THAT good!

I'd also recommend The Poker Tournament Formula and Poker Tips that Pay: Expert Strategy Guide for Winning No Limit Texas Hold em for readers that are looking beyond the Harrington series, for additional hand-based poker strategies and techniques. Both books compliment Harrington's approach to the game quite well.

If you understood and enjoyed v1, then this is a must. It certainly goes deeper into the topic, but gives some great advice for those looking to hone their strategies for late play. Strongly recommend v3 workbook.

This takes up right where Vol. 1 left off and keeps it going in the same smart, detailed style that made the first book one of the best poker books you can find out there. . Harrington and Robertie are a tour de force, dismantling the concepts that many of the best players bring to their games as winning players and articulate them in ways that less experienced (although you will need some level of understanding of the game) players can understand and quickly implement the ideas and advice.

As with the first book, the hand examples are one of the strongest parts of this book, helping you see how the ideas and concepts are actualized in hand play, and real hand play, not a simplified mock-up that feels like you'll never encounter in a real game.

Personally, this helped address one of the biggest issues I have in my poker game, which is adapting my game as the conditions change, specifically late in tournaments when blind size starts becoming a bigger and bigger deal and necessitates a change in playing style. In this book, Harrington and Robertie make the case for adapting styles with conditions in such a clear and usable way that I felt like I was immediately ready to sign up for a tournament the next day.

I think someone else wrote here that they hope this doesn't sell too many copies. This is the only downside I can see from this book, since I fear it's too easy to substantially improve your tournament play with this book, and therefore affect my tournament winnings. But I guess that's life.

There are many poker books with top-notch theory, but what really sets the Harrington on Hold 'Em series apart is the excellent selection of hand examples with full analysis. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking to enhance their game.

Happy new year,

All was perfect. The book outside and inside, the paper and what is writen on, everything is perfect.

Don't buy this book. Really. Dan Harrington can't play and this book proves it. If you bought this book return it for a refund. Don't tell your friends about this, no need. Better yet Amazon should get this book off the market, no help for anyone. Really.

Are you convinced yet?
No?
Damn. Well it was worth a try.

I'm from Italy, and here, too, this book is well known as a very useful tool for improving our skills in Hold 'em Tournaments

So far, all the books I've gotten through Amazon, and I've been buying for years, have been in good to great condition with a nice price. I'll continue buying from Amazon.

Must buy. Worth every penny. This with volume one are great and if the material is mastered, your returns will be greater than you expected. Aides through all the lower to middle levels.

Got this book for my husband, an online poker fan. He loved the first one in the series and doesn't like to put this one down either. Reads them multiple times to get the most out of them.

There have been many in-depth reviews of this book so I will make this short. This book builds on the concepts in Volume 1 to further improve your playing. Some of the concepts and strategies are not as intuitive but make perfect sense and are statistically sound (e.g., As your M and the M of your opponents decrease - avoid playing small pairs and mid to low suited connectors since the implied pot odds can not reach a level to make these hand profitable late in a tournament). Many, many, many advanced topics covered to improve your game late in No Limit tournaments. Mor great insight from a top poker pro.

This book does a fantastic job of discussing the pressure of late stage tournament play. Want to know how to react when the blinds are eating your stack and other players are moving all in on you constantly? Get this book!

This is a great series of books for anyone who is fairly new to the game of No Limit Texas Hold'Em. Volume I provides some basic concepts that every player needs to know. From which hands to start with and pot odds, to raising, to how your seating position affects your play, this series is a great introduction. And the more table experience you gain, the more his discussions can help your game. Highly recommended. Also, the workbook, Volume III is great to test your decision making within his framework.

This book was recommended to me after I finished in the top third of a tourney. I've read Vols 1, 2, and 3 - and I've learned so much from these books. Easy to read, easy to understand. I'll be going back in a few months to pick up anything I may have missed. Highly recommended.

Finished in top 15% in another tourney after reading this book - easily accounted by the stuff I've learned. Looking for better results I apply the knowledge.

After he finished at the Final Table of WSOP two years in a row, I was hoping that Dan Harrington would write a book. He did so much more when he wrote three. I think this one is the best of the bunch. There is so much hand to hand analysis, much more than other books.

There really isn't much more to say, this is probably the best Poker book ever written.

This book is outstanding just like his first one. You can't go wrong with Harrington. This book will take your game to a whole new level.

I have read several poker books since i picked up Harrington on Poker Vol 1 and Vol 2 and I most say that they pale in comparison to this masterpiece.

Both books are exceptionally organized, welll written and the examples with commentary are worth their weight in gold. Harrington talks about several complex topics but distills the theory with scenario examples to demonstrate the proof of concept. Every practical engineers dream. The fact that he has a math background serves well for a player like myself.

My poker play has improved tremendously because of this book. I used to play 2/4 limit poker but have now progressed to Sit and Gos and Tournaments. Of the last 9 Sit and Gos i have played in a card room, I have won three (shared first twice), came in 2nd or 3rd on the other three and lost three times (although i was usually 4th or 5th when such happened). The stats speak for themselves.

Thank you Dan!

Excellent continuation of vloume 1. I know that reading these books will improve my game with time, it's a lot to learn and try to implement. Anyone can improve using the guidelines and tips given.

Strategy illustrated in the book seems to work well. This is a definite need for any poker player. Highly recommend.

My success has gone up dramatically since I have read and applied these concepts. I do not want the Harrington Way becoming well known or standard play because right now I have an advantage. Concepts like M, Q, Randomizing, and his concept review of late stages - all just brilliant.

great follow up book to volume 1.
dives into the finer points of no limit holdem.
i'm looking forward to reading volume 3.

Dan Harrington's 3 book collection is a must for any poker player. the best series of books I have ever read. Informative, challaging and will improve your game no matter what your skill level.

Harrington's Hold'ed series is a great resource for then novice and intermediate poker player, especially in regards to tournament play. Books I&II take you through all stages of tourney play, and makes you think about position, blind strucutre, Q rating, and changing gears to mix up your play. an excellent reource to improve your play in low and mid-limit tourney's. Only weakness is he doesnt go into much detail on short stack play, rather analyzes pot, blind and stack size on determine whether to push all in or not. other than that great series of books.

This book truly upped my game. I have read all of the popular ones that everyone knows, this is in my opinion the best one. If you are a serious hold 'em player you MUST have this in your collection. I have re-read it and volume 3 twice now, I cannot say enough about it. A few friends have asked which book helped the most in my large poker collection, I tell them this one every time.

Harrington's second book on advanced tournament play for no limit holdem tournament play is a remarkable sequel to his first volume. Besides providing important stratagies for end game tournament play, stack size, positional play, short handed table play, opening hands play for heads up play, Harrington gives the reader a series of problems from real play as examples of his theories. A fantastic read.

Alan Safani

A perfect follow up to his first and the must read for all serious holdem players.

A great book. Start with Volume I and follow it up with this book. The attention to detail that went into this book really shows.

What can I say that hasnt already been said? This is a must have for any poker player. I dont even play a lot of tournaments but there is just so much good information in all of Harrington's books that you must read them if you are looking to improve. Thumbs up.

Like his first book, Strategic Play, Harrington has written one of the truly great books on poker, especially for the player with a strong interest in tournament play (though of significant benefit to the cash game player as well). Working through the ideas in this book carefully seems assured to substantially improve anyone's game. Even another professional gains the advantage of getting a fairly deep look at the thinking of one of the great players of the last two decades. Right up there in terms of content with the best of Sklansky's books, while having the benefit of being far more enjoyable reading.

With his prior volume, probably the best books on poker I have read.

Vols 1 and 2 are the books to read about tourney poker. Many theories carry over to the cash game but primarily this is a NL tourney book. Can't recommend enough. Thanks Dan!

this is one of the better books i have read about the endgame. it gave me many ideas of the way to approach the endgame and stratagies to play. clearly written with many examples. i used many of these ideas last week in our home game. still didn't place in the money but won some hands i wouldn't have if i didn't read the book.

I'll try again tonight.

I really enjoyed this book. This is a lot easier to read then other poker books that have been written. A must read for any serious poker player or newbee just getting started.

The problem with most books on no limit holdem is that they don't go into enough detail. This book does not have that problem, and it doesn't even have a huge math focus in it. It has math, but you can understand it. This book does an amazing job at how you need to approach the later stages of a no limit Holdem tournament. This is also one of the few books (or maybe the only) that apply a mathematical approach to the Super-aggressive style of poker that works so well in no limit. The best thing about this book is that it makes it very easy to understand and comprehend the lessons of the book, but so many people ignore the lessons. Harrington covers how often you should bluff, when the blind/stack ratio affects you and how to adjust, and head's up play. This is a very good no limit book and the absolute best tournament book out there. Just get the first volume too.

Everything he couldn't tell you in Vol I Dan lays it out very well - sorry he gave out so much info!

I think everyone summed it up pretty well but ill add a little. Dans book series is the best tournament advice you will find anywhere. I dont understand how its so cheap. Since reading the book I have been able to spot the different skills in cash games and tournaments. If youre serious about being a winning tournament player then you need this book, END OF STORY.

I have not read volume 2 but if it is anything like volume 1 it is a must. There are two poker books that I would consider marrying. One is super system 1 or 2 and the other is Harrington on hold'em...


"in order to live, you must be willing to die"

Amir Vahedi

This is a great book. I have read his volume I multiple times and this book defently is a must. He continues on with final table ideas and moves that if you have every been to a final table or close to it you will relate to everything he says. Awesome book! Ready for volume III :=}

This book, combined with its predecessor, are by far the most comprehensive texts on No-limit Hold'em available today. Extremely readable, useful and detailed examples, and concepts available nowhere else are to be found in the two volumes. Purchase it, read it, then read it again - you won't be sorry.