Harrington on Cash Games, Volume II: How to Play No-Limit Hold 'em Cash Games

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I just read both volumes on Harrington on Cash Games "How to Win at No-Limit Hold'em Money Games", I also had previously purchased both volumes of Dan Harrington's much heralded tournament series ...

First Harrington again has done a comprehensive job of creating an epic; however I personally found him less of a revelation in the cash game series than in the tournament books. It could be me and my base of knowledge.

Volume I covers Pre-flop play and play on the Flop.

Volume II covers the Turn and the River as well as some sections on dealing with Loose Aggressive style players, Tells, Beating Weak Games and Bankroll Management.

Bottom line, I wish he never wrote it... If a sucker has the brains and discipline to read it, learn it and practice it, he will be a better player. Harrington once again has wised up some suckers.

Lucky for us, 90% of all people who claim they play poker think they already play better than 90% of all poker players. Thank the good lord that these people are too lazy and are not sufficiently motivated to read and learn.

I posted this on my blog as well at [...]

In my opinion the turn and River are the most difficult and misplayed parts in No-Limit Poker. This is why I got this book, to improve these areas of my game.
The things I love about this book are the hand examples and analysis. After playing no-limit Texas for a couple of years I have often either gone bust or not maximised my winnings on these streets because I'd reach a situation where I didn't know what to do.
Some hand examples tell you what you should do or not do after you've made your continuation bet, or called/raised one. This may vary on who your up against and any reads you might have on a particular opponent.
Other examples compose of some difficult situations you might face where you are holding medium strength hands and your stuck between checking, betting, raising etc.
Whilest others analyse how to get the maximum when you flop a set or a big hand.
The turn and river are the most profitable or expensive streets on poker. This is why this book is great value.
There is also some extra info in this book such as beating low-limit games, bankroll and tilt management.

This book along with the first volume are the only books that I found to give in-depth coverage aimed specifically at NLHE Cash Games. The biggest thing going for the books is that they're thorough. Around 800 pages of strategy, quizzes, examples, and some light mathematical explanations. Thankfully, not a page wasted on teaching you how to play. Even the English is quite good! (Most poker books are near unreadable.) I reread this before every game to tighten up and remind me to be aggressive and I've certainly improved. I actually ENJOY reading it, too.

The only downside might be that the examples seem sometimes inconsistent, such as recommending a raise 80% of the time in one situation and 70% in another where it seems the recommendations should be reversed, though who am I to judge? Harrington's playing style is very tight and very loose players might find too few recommendations on how to act in situations with poor hands.

Neither of the above gripes is enough to knock these books down from a 5-star review. In short, you'll enjoy reading this book and play better afterward. Definitely get the first volume, too.

This volume completes the series. I play only on-line. The whole section on tells is about betting patterns. On-line thats all you have to go on. So this works great for me. Combine that with the board reading skills I picked up in the first volume and my NL cash game has improved a whole lot. I think anyone that has some basic skills in poker and is a break even or loosing player will improve to a winning player after a couple of reads.

This second volume is more useful than volume 1. In fact it speaks about turn and river play which is often underrated...many good problems explained by Harrington help the reader to develop a feeling for the different situations...it's far from perfect but more useful than volume 1...if you have to buy one buy this...

This is a fantastic book on how to make money playing hold'em cash games, it specifically covers the turn and river, and as always Dan Harrington does a magnificent job of explaining the concepts, as well as having a lot of problems to practice to let the concepts sink in.

If you want to make money playing hold'em cash games, this is one book you have to have.

The Harrington cash game series makes an excellent addition to any poker player's library. Of course, players must realize that cash game play is not as dynamic or exciting as tournament play (the subject of Harrington's three volume hold em series). To profit in cash game play, you need to be patient, avoid serious mistakes and maximize value on each and every hand you play. There's no larger macro-tournament strategy to keep in mind: you simply play the cards that you're dealt and try to wring whatever value you can from your hands.

In a lot of ways cash game play is more basic than tournament play, though in practice you need a lot more skill to turn a consistent profit. Raw aggression can often compensate for a lack of subtle hand reading skills and value betting in tournament play; raw, untamed aggression in a cash game will get you felted.

Harrington knows his subject well, but he's not an expert cash game player. There have also been many books written on cash game play, starting with Doyle back in the late 70s. So there's not the groundbreaking effect we saw with Harrington's tournament books in these two volumes on cash game play: but as I said with Vol. 1, they're well-worth the price of admission. You can learn a lot about playing the turn and river for maximum value in Vol. 2 here, and that can make all the difference between a winning and losing session. This may not be a must-read, but you'd be hard-pressed to find too many other capable books on no limit hold em cash game play.

I'd also recommend 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.

Harrington señala, con mucho tino, las diferencias necesarias e imprescindibles que separan al juego exitoso en torneos y mesas de efectivo. Es claro, directo y sencillo de entender. Quizás haga demasiado hincapié en las cuestiones estadísticas y matemáticas. Pero, el jugador despierto entenderá que son la matriz de inicio que separa al jugador desordenado y con destino incierto del que intenta desempeñarse con claridad.
No se puede dejar pasar por alto.

I am writing this review for both of Harrington's books on cash games.

There are a lot of good, and not so good books on playing Texas Hold'em cash games. Harrington's books, "Harrington on Cash Games", I and II are a couple of the best. Granted, 85% of the series repeat what many others have written, many times. This series is very well written, Harrington's concepts are clearly expressed.

The difference between these and other books are in that 15% extra. For example his discussions on how to play deep, moderate and short stack games. Or how he sizes bets under different circumstances. Discussions like these are where Harrington really separates his books on cash games from most other books.

I would rate this book a notch (abet a very small notch) above David Sklansky and Ed Miller's book "No Limit Hold'em in Theory and Practice", since Harrington's book is a bit easier to read, and concepts are presented a little clearer. Both are great.

you need to play the game these books are boring unless they are telling great stories about hands they have been in. Instead the writers try to act like their some great scientific theories the writers can pass on to you and its bull.
you can buy this book from me for half price!!! there now you won some money already.
buddy

This is a must read for any non- or only marginally winning player. While it is true that much of what he discusses is available elsewhere (with several hundred "how to play hold-em" books available, how could it be otherwise?), Harrington's style and use of detailed hand descriptions, explaining the thought process required to read your opponents hand, makes it one of the most useful guides out there.

It is true that these books are not as easily applicable to play as his wonderful tournament books. I believe this is due to the greater complexity of the live games. Much of the action in a tournament is effectively forced by the increasing blinds and relative stack sizes. In the cash game, especially the deep stack cash games, that forcing factor is greatly reduced. The greater variety in the variables to indicate a "correct" play would challenge any writer. I think Harrington's book (especially Volume II) is the best one out there.

This book is a must for those who want to improve their game. Well written and great examples are given to help your skill.

The first step to winning at cash games after you've been playing tournament poker is to realize that there is a difference between the two. This is such an important thing to realize that I feel like every tournament player, before he sits down at a cash game, should look in the mirror and say "My name is ______ and I'm a tournament player." Just to remind themselves that they need to think about the fact that their tendencies are based upon their favored format and that they need to watch what they're doing in this different format.

I point this out because I think that's what's most useful about Harrington's two books on cash game play. As the author of one of the best books (series of books) on tournament poker, he does an excellent job adapting his strategy to the particular nature of this difference, and tournament players, or people who have based their play on what they see from tournament players, will really improve their game by following his lead on this.

This volume is an effective (and necessary) companion to the first volume. In fact if you have volume 1 but haven't purchased volume 2, because the first didn't work for you entirely, you should buy volume 2 because it completes some of the thinking from the first book and rounds out the recommendations by Harrington.

As always, Harrington includes a lot of useful hand examples, which are crucial to effectively cementing his recommendations in practical applications. And the quality of the writing and layout is accessible and professional, something often lacking in lesser poker books. All in all, a good buy, if you're a mid-level player who wants to improve his cash game.

I have always been a fan of Harrington's poker style. He seems to be able to take advantage of the other player's mistakes. And in Volume Two of Harrington on Cash, he tells you how to do the same. After only reading through the book once, I have already had $20 winnings each time I play online poker.

The book stars out right where Volume One left off, talking about being a tight-aggressive player. So, I would suggest buying them in a set. Harrington also gives great 'problems' for you to work out after each chapter. I find Harrington on par with Sklansky and even Doyle Brunson with their poker advice and the edge that they will give you for the game.

See you at the felt!

How many worthless poker books can 2+2 sell to the mob? This book covers no new ground. Everything written is super simple, common sense, beyond obvious, elementary. The hand examples are ridiculous. It's like they are teaching kindergarteners. What is written in this book is BEYOND OBVIOUS.
Waste of money.

DAN HARRINGTON IS A VERY SMART MAN WHO HAS DONE FOR DEEP STACK CASH GAME PLAYERS WHAT HE ALREADY DID EARLIER FOR TOURNAMENT PLAYERS. THIS BOOK IS A MUST READ FOR WINNERS.

Harrington as usual has a thorough and disciplined approach to no limit cash games. You'll want to read this because a lot of us playing no limti cash games already have.

I read a lot of poker books in my career.
I really liked this book, excellent book for cash games.
The book really improved my game, and I took a lot from it.
I really recommend it to pros and to beginners.

Vol.1 and 2 could be one great book but printed separtate I guess you make more money. Just like the tournament editions to get the full effect you need both. I like Harringtons strategy books more than any other authors I've read. To me they are an easy read and have lots of good info. I think they are the best books covering no limit cash games.

Well...I've always been a tournament player for as long as I can remember, but started playing cash games a year ago and was always looking for a good book on cash games. For those who have looked for poker cash games books, you know that its quite difficult to find great books on this subject until Harrington came out with this cash games book almost 2 years ago. Now I'm not any big time cash player, so my primary interest was low stakes NL cash games ( 1-2,2-4 ). Now, to my pleasant surprise, there is an entire section on beating weak games toward the back of the book. This was EXACTLY what I was looking for...." how to beat weak low stakes games " Anyhow I found the information remarkable and indispensable to say the least. I already knew how to make adjustments from playing tourneys to cash games and now this book has allowed me to understand the thinking behind playing a certain way against players at this level. I've already made a good profit in the last 3 sessions Ive played at local casinos.
Now...let me be clear on one thing....by following these tips, you are by no means guaranteed to win as many of you know....but it does give you a guide and framework to work with, adopt and practice against these low stakes games.
As in any poker game, cash or tournaments, the caveats of poker success like flexibility, making proper adjustments to your opponents, knowing proper odds, as well as mixing up your play hold true as ever.

Harrington uses tons of examples, likely scenarios for hands. He explains the thinking behind a lot of decisions. this book (set) is huge. I would recommend vol. I first (covers preflop and flop play) then vol II.(turn river).
Worth reading many times to really learn some of the methodology and randomizing he suggests. Anyone who can read this and follow the advice in a disciplined way, coupled with decent table observation skills and memory can really step their game up a notch.

(I have read a ton of poker books and VOL I and II would rank near or at the top)

My significant other had volume one so when he opened his Christmas present of this book he could not put it down. All throughout the day you would look over and there he was reading this book. It must be good because he doesn't read much. I recommend this book to anyone who likes poker.

Part II of the three part series picks up where part I left off. Here you continue to learn of betting strategies on the Turn and River based on your position and style of play. It gives an insigt into the types of players you may be up against, how to use that style yourself, and includes examples of subject hands both in online and real casino situations. This series is very good guide for those who really intend to treat the books as a study course. Hand analysis is one of the best ways to improve your game and the book gives you insights into what you should be asking yourself about your hand and your opponents hand, in order to make sound decisions.

I found this good but not great. Alot of the hands he talks about, most people would not play. But overall pretty good on cash games.

Another excellent book by Harrington. I read this book about a year ago and loved it. If you enjoyed his tournament play books, this series on cash games are perfect. Thanks for the great work, Dan.

This book is wonderful. It lays out extremely helpful hand reading strategies, online tips, live tips, bankroll management tips, and example after example of hands that have been broken down and fully explained.

A must read for any serious poker cash game student.

I enjoyed the reasoning for doing certain things differently and why, including losing plays. The Megagame was a different thought. Takes some courage to do some of these moves, but it sure is fun. The examples are terrific, but hard to remember. In fact don't know who could remeber all the detail, all the different percentage plays when in a live game. Great book.

This book is the bible for deep stack cash game play. Highly recommended to anyone who plays cash games.

Whit this book, I improved my skills on cash games, and learnt how to avoid mistakes. Recommended reading for beginners.