 Harrington on Hold’em Volume 1: Strategic Play goes over how to successfully make it through the early stages of a tournament. It talks about the correct plays that should be made when everyone has equal stacks, the blinds are small compared to stack sizes, and most of the weak players are still in. Harrington on Hold’em Volume 2: The Endgame elaborates on the later stages of these tournaments when the scenario has changed quite a bit.
The book starts out as a continuation of Volume 1. There are a lot of different types of bluffs and semi-bluffs that are gone over as well. One of the main ideas that is stated early on in the literature is the “Inflection Point Theory”. Normally there is a set way to go about things that you follow through until the end, but Harrington elaborates about how your play will deviate later in these tournaments based on your stack size compared to the blinds. This has been brought up generically in many other texts, but never gone over in such detail as in Harrington on Hold’em Volume 2: The Endgame.
The largest portion of the book goes over shorthanded play that will be seen in the later stages of these big tournaments. There are a lot of authors that have gone over this topic of play, but Harrington does an exquisite job on being clear enough that the reader can understand and follow his teachings confidently. Instead of just going on from one thing to the next Harrington uses some precise examples to help the reader better identify with what he is teaching. There are a lot of more advanced plays here that can be used. Some of these might be a little too advanced for beginning players to really appreciate.
In the last section of the book Harrington goes over heads-up play. This is the section of the book that will pay off best for most players. Heads-up is the most profitable form of poker and is also considered the hardest. Knowing how to play heads-up can take you from a good second place prize in a tournament to taking home almost double that by winning first place. Harrington also uses specific examples in the heads up section. Each situation is gone over carefully step by step and explained in detail. Not only does he explain what to do in each situation, but more importantly explains why you take each action. This is probably the best and most informative section in the book.
Overall Harrington On Hold’em Volume 2: The Endgame is a must read. This piece of literature can and will bring your game to a whole new level. This applies to tournaments which the book is specifically geared for and also for cash games. Read Harrington On Hold’em Volume 2: The Endgame and start winning more.
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