Dan Harrington (born 6 December 1945) is a prolific poker player, Known in poker circles as Action Dan. In addition to his pro status, he is also a former backgammon and chess master, an active real estate entrepreneur, and a best-selling author.
Dan Harrington initially pursued a business career. Growing up he played chess, backgammon and poker. After winning the Massachusetts State Chess Championship and the World Cup of Backgammon, Dan Harrington decided to turn his attention to poker – a far more profitable gaming career choice for him.
In the 1980's Dan Harrington began playing poker at the famed New York poker haunt the Mayfair Club. He played Texas Hold'em (to which he refers as the "Cadillac of poker") with the likes of Erik Seidel and Stephen Zolotow, and would fly to Las Vegas to play at casino tables. In 1987 Dan Harrington played in the 18th World Series of Poker; he pocketed a respectable $43,750, but his real breakthrough as a poker pro would come some eight years later.
The 1995 WSOP proved an ideal stage for Dan Harrington to display his poker prowess. He won his first WSOP bracelet at the $2,500 No Limit Hold'em table. Only three days later he outlasted 272 rivals and won $1,000,000 – four times the amount of cash he won at the $2,500 tournament. In typical Dan Harrington fashion, however, he kept a low profile for the next few years, sticking to his risk-assessing manner of playing and devoting his time to corporate pursuits.
The 2003-2004 season proved another Dan Harrington landmark. He took home $650,000 at the 34th WSOP $10,000 World Championship Event, a sum he doubled the following year when he came in fourth (out of a jaw-dropping 2,576-strong field) at the 35th WSOP. Dan Harrington did not shy away from the World Poker Tour as well; in 2007, following an ill-lucked attempt at securing the 2005 title, Harrington won the Legends of Poker event, beating poker powerhouses David Pham and Thu Nguyen and netting $1,600,365 – his largest prize to date.
Despite his success, Dan Harrington still considers himself a businessman first and a poker player second. Dan Harrington is a benchmark for those who take a more conservative, rock-solid approach to the game. His three volumes of Harrington on Hold'em illustrate this calculating playing style. The two WSOP bracelets, nine money finishes and over $6,500,000 in winnings prove beyond doubt the advantage of conservative, tight playing, even in a poker arena dominated by super-aggressive players.
Dan Harrington Landmark winnings:
2007 WPT Legends of Poker
$9,500 No Limit Hold'em championship event
08/25/2007 $1,635,365
2006 WPT Fifth Annual Five Diamond World Poker Classic
$15,000 No Limit Hold'em Doyle Brunson North American Poker Classic
12/14/2006 $23,370
2005 WPT Bellagio Festo Al Lago IV
$10,000 No Limit Hold'em - 2nd Annual Doyle Brunson North American Poker Championship
10/18/2005 $620,730
2004 35th WSOP
$10,000 World Championship Event
05/22/2004 $1,500,000
2003 34th WSOP
$10,000 World Championship Event
05/19/2003 $650,000
1995 26th WSOP
$10,000 No Limit Hold'em World Championship
05/15/1995 $1,000,000
