Customer Reviews

Harrington on Online Cash Games; 6-Max No-Limit Hold 'em

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I don't need you getting any better. Dan Harrington's grasp of the game is remarkable. I learned a great deal from his tournament series, even more from his cash games books, and I learned just as much from this one.

I've only finished the first half so far, but Harrington's focus in this book seems to be the most efficient use of online tools. He briefly touches on some basics of poker, the differences between live and online, and then he delves into the world of the database.

His treatment of HUD statistics is very worthwhile for an amateur. I, like many, have Pokertracker and I like to fiddle around with the database a bit and try to get a read on my opponents. But Harrington specifically describes a number of useful statistics that can be utilized to take advantage of patterns in your opponents' pre and postflop tendencies. After adapting my HUD to Harrington's suggestions I have made a number of strong plays that I wouldn't have thought to make otherwise.

He also does a good job of correlating opponents' HUD statistics to their hand ranges and distributions. Reading Harrington 6max online really solidified a number of ideas relating to playing against hand-ranges instead of always having to worry about if he had that K or not.

He gives some really excellent suggestions on note-taking. I went from a haphazard assortment of random notes to a clean system organized by street. He also helped me discern some of the more important information to take note of. There was even a part he wrote just for me that said I shouldn't cuss out my opponents in the note box.

I highly recommend this book to any online player who isn't my opponent. Some of the ideas might be pretty basic to some of the seasoned online pros, but Harrington really laid down a comprehensive baseline from which to knowledgeably examine many of my unrecognized leaks. Seriously, I was just sitting there with VPIP, PFR, and AFQ%. I didn't even really know what the last one meant except that it was somehow related to aggression.

Also, the book stands up very well to getting soaking wet in a rainstorm. The cover is a little soggy but it's still perfectly readable. If it rains enough I'm going to see if the book may even counteract the effects of fire. It's just that good. I'm surprised the Shamwow guy isn't in here.

I have read at least 50 books on Hold'Em, and this barely beats out Professional No-Limit Hold 'em: Volume I for the title of number one. While the gap between one and two might be small, the gap between 2 and 3 is large. After two disappointing volumes on live cash games, Harrington comes correct with the right way to improve your game, by practicing for small stakes online. He gives you the tools to analyze your opponents' play and exploit them if they are weak, or if they are strong, avoid being exploited yourself. Emphasis is on equity against different hand ranges depending on flop texture. The most fundamentally sound analysis anywhere, laid out clearly. Once you beat small stakes games online, you'll crush medium stakes live.

I was blown away by this book. All of his books are good, but this one really gets into details regarding the types of games and situations you actually run into. The other books were aimed at a higher level, but this one tells you, specifically, how to beat the lower levels of play, which is where most people are going to play. Given that he probably virtually never plays at these levels, I was really impressed with his insights.

Wow, so much information to digest. I read it all the way through once and just like reading the Bible you cant learn everything it is trying to teach you without careful study and dedication. So many times I came across passages that made me say,"I never thought of that before", or "Now I see why I've been losing money playing that way". I plan to get a study group together with a couple of friends and go through the book slowly together and learn the mysteries this book has to offer. Mr. Harrington has written another game changing book that will I'm sure have an impact on how online 6-max will be played be prepared for the games to get much harder just like his tournament series changed tournament poker forever.

I am a big fan of Harrington's thought process and have read all of his other books. One criticism that these other books receive now when people try to apply their lessons in today's online games is that they are outdated. Today's online games, especially 6-max are far more aggressive than full-ring live games of 3-4 years ago. As a result, adjustments need to be made, and Harrington does a good job outlining a basic foundation for solid yet aggressive play. I have played 100k+ hands at the small-stakes and have still found this a useful book for certain of its sections. For instance, the thought process behind creating and balancing 3-, 4- and 5-bet ranges was excellent in my opinion.

That being said, I wish this book covered more advanced topics in more detail and had a larger section of hands with explanations of the thought process (he does have ~ 20 at the end). If you are just starting online play or if you are struggling at the micro-stakes or trying to move up from the micro-stakes to the small-stakes, this book will give you an excellent foundation. If you are an experienced small-stakes player or better, you might get an idea or two but that's about it.

I've read alot of poker books and have been playing a while. I knew alot that was already in this book however it made me look at thing a bit differently. Its a great book and a must for any online player. You can use the tools in the book for full ring game as well. Great book.

By far the best micro stakes book i have read. This book talks about ranges a ton, they are the single most important thing to be good at in poker. This book also goes in depth on distributions, and HUD's. Everything from setting up your HUD to using your tracker program to analyze hands. This book covers everything you need to beat the micro stakes.

Contains a wealth of information, perfect for intermediate players.
Does seem to under/over-estimate skill levels for certain stakes, but like any good player simply take what works for your situation.

Almost hope people don't buy this book because it'll make the competition at small/micro stakes much better if they really take it to heart, expand on harringtons examples and study hard.

This book is a wealth of information. The starting player will find a great baseline, while the experienced player will visit some aspects and concepts that may have gotten pushed to the back of their mind. I suggest this book for anyone that enjoys 6 max.

It's is truly humbling to have a look into the mind of Dan Harrington. While his style may not fit yours, you have to give credence to his thought process. Truly an old school master who welcomes and understands the new school approach.