Dan Harrington Professional poker player, author of books about poker Date of Birth: 06.12.1945 Country: USA

Biography of Dan Harrington

Dan Harrington is a professional poker player and author of books on poker. He is a legendary figure in the world of poker, having won two WSOP bracelets. In 2010, he was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame.

Born in 1945 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harrington initially had a passion for chess and even became the Massachusetts State Chess Champion in 1971. Later, he developed a keen interest in backgammon before ultimately choosing poker as his preferred game. Harrington studied law at Suffolk University and worked as a lawyer in the banking industry before pursuing poker professionally.

Rumors suggest that Harrington played poker with Bill Gates while the latter was a Harvard student. He also frequented the Mayfair Club, where he played alongside future poker legends Howard Lederer and Erik Seidel. In the mid-1980s, Harrington began participating in poker tournaments and reached the final table of the WSOP Main Event in 1987, finishing in sixth place.

Harrington won the Main Event for the first time in 1995, where he proposed a money-splitting agreement among the finalists, a suggestion that was declined by many. He ultimately claimed the one million dollar prize. He came close to victory a few more times before winning another significant title in 2007, becoming the champion of the WPT Legends of Poker.

Harrington, known as "Action Dan" in his early days, is now considered a conservative player compared to the younger generation of poker professionals. He is one of only five players in the world who have won both the WSOP Main Event and the World Poker Tour. However, Harrington's most notable contribution to the poker community is his renowned book series, "Harrington on Hold'em" and "Harrington on Cash Games." These books are highly regarded as some of the best poker strategy guides and are recommended by many professionals.

According to information from 2011, Harrington's total tournament winnings amounted to $6,600,000. He is distantly related to professional golfer Pádraig Harrington and former NFL quarterback Joey Harrington. Harrington currently resides in Santa Monica, California.