Dan Harrington: Poker's Action Dan

Dan Harrington is a skilled poker player. He was born on December 6th, 1945 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He picked his nickname "Action Dan" although he is best described as a conservative player. Dan is currently living in Santa Monica, California.

Dan Harrington was once a champion backgammon player, a former U.S. chess master (where he captured the Massachusetts State Chess Championship in 1971), and a practicing lawyer. Dan was exposed to poker when he was studying at Suffolk University. He played some poker games with Bill Gates while Bill was still at Harvard.

Dan Harrington is well known for his favorite Boston Red Sox bull cap. He is also recognized as a wily, firmly-aggressive player, using starting hand principles that are more exacting than most professionals. At the 1995 WSOP main event, Dan after reaching the final table suggested a nine-way arrangement to the other participating players. Dan gave details on how each would receive sufficient money that each could be rich. But all his opponents refused to buy into the idea. Dan continued to lure his opponents with his ideas as each player was booted out. No one took the challenge and in the long run Dan took home the $1,000,000 top prize.

Dan's solid play is his main weapon on why he had some good runs at major poker tournaments. He captured the $1,000,000 main event at the 1995 WSOP tournament. He also reached three other final table appearances; landing 6th and getting $43,750, placing third (out of 839 participants) in 2003 earning $650,000, and winning $1,500,000 in placing 4th in 2004. Dan also won the European Invitational Poker Tournament Seven-card stud poker event held in London. Dan also earned $249,000 plus a ring in topping the $2,500 Holdem No-Limit event. He got $620,730 in placing second in his first crack at the World Poker Tour in 2005. Dan added another $1,634,865 when he emerged victorious at the Legends of Poker in 1997.

Dan's current live tournament earnings have surpassed $6,500,000.

Dan has written two books that deal on no-limit cash games in addition to the three books about tournament poker he and Bill Robertie co-authored. Listed below are the five books:

Harrington on Holdem:Volume 1: Strategic Play Harrington on Holdem: Volume II: The Endcame Harrington on Holdem: Volume III: The Workbook Harrington on Cash Games, Volume I: How to Play No-Limit Hold'em Cash Games Harrington on Cash Games: Volume II: How to Play No-Limit Hold'em Cash Games