Every poker player has an affinity for a certain poker book or poker author. I am no different. In an increasingly pre flop world, I hunger for post flop analysis and theory from people whose opinion I value. 1995 World Series of Poker Main Event Champion Dan Harrington's first two books have given me just that, and I place them a little higher on the ol' poker bookshelf than I do many of the other books I have read over the last 10 or so years.
Harrington just released his third book with co-author Bill Robertie. The book is titled "Harrington on Hold Em, Volume 3 – The workbook". It is both fair, and unfair to call this book a 'workbook'. To me, a workbook is a book where you can record your thoughts as you work your way through 'problems'. This book only has a couple pages in the back for notes, but that doesn't mean there isn't plenty of work to be done in the pages in between.
I think the best thing a poker book can do is make you think – and all of Harrington's books do that – this one especially. Poker is a game of situations, and this book is essentially a non stop replay of different situations, thoughts and analysis.
The thing that makes this book interesting is Harrington uses real world situations, and in fact situations involving many of today's top players – involved in hands you might even remember seeing on some poker telecast. One of the first problems in the book recounts a hand between Daniel Negreanu, and Sammy Farha on day one of last years WSOP.
The use of real life examples keeps you extra hooked into what are already really good situations to analyze, and learn from. Harrington and Robertie know how to structure a lesson, and school is definitely in session in this book.
I actually think this would make an excellent bathroom book for any poker player. The problems, some of which are fairly complex in nature, require a lot of thought to really do them justice. My brain can only handle so much 'deep poker thought' at one time, so I find the perfect number of problems to address at one time to be one or two. You leave thinking more about the situation for the rest of the day or night, and this adds to the educational experience.
I offer my high praise of Dan Harrington's books with my usual caveat about reading poker books. In my opinion, there is absolutely no replacement in a poker education for real, live poker play or for discussing hands and situations with other players. After reading through many of the problems in 'Harrington on Hold Em, Volume Three', 'Action Dan's' books will stay on the top shelf of my collection of poker literature.
Ed Note: Do you own a Mac? You can play online anytime you want at Pokerroom.com
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