Harrington on Online Cash Games: 6-Max No-Limit Hold 'em (Harrington Cash Game Series) Paperback – February 5, 2023

I'm not a poker expert and I was looking at introductory level texts to advance in the game and learn how to think about hands and strategy. This book is exactly what I was looking for.It assumes only that you know the rules of the game and starts teaching basic analytical skills (odds, bet sizing, pre flop ranges, etc.). It then progressess to a more detailed break down of the game and talks about board textures, range equity calculations, types of players, etc. This is all basic and probably present in all good introductory poker books but I found Harrington to be very able at making concepts clear and at teaching not just the numbers but what they mean and how to get at them, in essence how to think and reason about poker, which is what the success in the game's about.The later parts of the book tackle the online aspect: a good rundown of how to use HUDs and an in depth exploration of the type of game and players in different stakes levels (micro, small, medium, high), which I found very useful. I also loved the section with practical problems and hand situations to analyze based on play and HUD statistics.I fully recommend this book for anyone who wants to improve online poker playing.

I found this book to be especially reliable in beating short-handed games. Harrington does an extensive job at researching and covering all the elements of short-handed cash games. It is definitely better than his previous works on cash games because he covers the more commonly played games that you should play against most people in the online world. I do credit his approach because it works in my own game. Harrington may seem like a tight, nitty player, but he is actually raising lots of pots when the players are down to short-handed, and he is fighting for lots of pots. This book optimizes that approach and teaches the reader how to handle most of the given scenarios you will run into at the tables. One last thing I would like to mention as that this book is very similar to Harrington on Modern Tournaments because the outline is generally the same on which hands to play, although this book goes into more coverage of how you should handle specific situations.

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 a number of poker books since I started learning to play. None taught me more than the Harrington books. The tournament strategy books are the best there are for learning the fundamentals of tournament play. This book does for cash games what those do for tournaments.I've heard many poker players say that, since the Harrington books are so widely read, the strategy is no longer effective. While that may or may not be true, the concepts outlined in the books are fundamental to understanding how to play. While the tournament books do emphasize the tight aggressive style, he does acknowledge other styles, and understanding the basics taught in the books makes it easier to make adjustments in one's personal playing style.It's also interesting to note that, while the tournament books emphasize playing tight, the cash game books emphasize playing loose. It's important to understand the reasoning behind this, and the books do a very good job of explaining it.

This book should cost more... something around $120 because the information it gives you can convert an absolute beginner to a good player and a good player can become a really dangerous player at the 6-max tables.If Harrington's book would cost more, less people would buy it and I could win even more money on online poker :) however it's just a business, I understand that a well price good product sells more than an expensive good product.Anyways... There is no magic formula can be found in this book. You want to study this book, not just read it through and wait for a miracle. If you are patient and willing to invest the time it's needed, this is the only book you will need to buy to become a sucsessful online player at the 6-max tables!Good luck to you all!

Let me first say I'm mainly only a micro stakes player. 10NL and 25NL. So therefore I've basically ignored small stakes and up sections of this book so my review does not reflect those.But as far as being a beginner, this book is an excellent starting point. I say don't buy in my title because I don't want poker player pool to improve. This book will give you all the tools to become a winning player at micros. It gives you ideas for how to formulate a basic strategy against all kinds of different players and what to do in common spots.What it won't do is make you a winning micro player alone. You still need plenty of actual playing experience and more hand analysis than this book offers but overall it is a great starting point.