AKs against maniac

[River2Pair]

4/8 at the bike.

One bad limper (MP1) to me in MP3 with A /images/graemlins/diamond.gifK /images/graemlins/diamond.gif. I raise. CO calls. Button 3-bets.

Button here has been taking down large pots with 7-4 straights, 9-2 flushes and the like. Pretty much like most LA players except this guy is a lot more aggressive. Someone at the table warned me, "Oh, he plays Mexican Poker, so he chases a lot," whatever that means.

His raise just smelled funny. I'd see a monster there looking to keep the blinds and the limper in. If he was betting his hand, best I could figure him for was JJ or AQ. From what I had seen earlier, he was more likely just stirring up action. Blinds fold, limper calls, I cap, CO calls, button calls.

CO is one of those guys who will call, call, call, then fold on the river. He caught me once when I bet my Q /images/graemlins/heart.gifJ /images/graemlins/heart.gif on a 5 /images/graemlins/heart.gif3 /images/graemlins/heart.gif3 /images/graemlins/club.gif7 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif3 /images/graemlins/spade.gif board when he was calling me down with A /images/graemlins/spade.gif5 /images/graemlins/club.gif, so I guess he got suspicious.

Anyway, flop comes K /images/graemlins/club.gifQ /images/graemlins/spade.gif2 /images/graemlins/club.gif.

Limper checks, I bet, CO calls, button raises, limper folds. I can't explain why, given my read here, I slowed down. I called. CO called.

Turn was 2 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif

Check, check, bet, call, call.

River is A /images/graemlins/club.gif.

I grit my teeth and bet. CO looks at me and says, "Oh, no, not ace-king again." He thinks for a while, then calls. Then button raises again. I call. CO calls.

How often would you expect me to be good here? Should I have called the river raise?

[jordanx]

3-bet the flop.

You are probably good enough of the time to call this raise.

Pot is too big to fold.

Based on read. Button could have anything, likely trips or a boat.

[bakku]

His raise just smelled funny. I'd see a monster there looking to keep the blinds and the limper in. If he was betting his hand, best I could figure him for was JJ or AQ.

I don't get this statement, are you saying you wouldn't 3-bet AA or KK here? That'd be horrible.

Anyway, I 3-bet the flop if this guy really is a maniac. Folding on the river would be bad.

[River2Pair]

[ QUOTE ]
His raise just smelled funny. I'd see a monster there looking to keep the blinds and the limper in. If he was betting his hand, best I could figure him for was JJ or AQ.

I don't get this statement, are you saying you wouldn't 3-bet AA or KK here? That'd be horrible.

Anyway, I 3-bet the flop if this guy really is a maniac. Folding on the river would be bad.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not saying what I would do.
Some people play backasswards down here. They'll cap with QTo, and then limp with AA.

[Nick C]

[ QUOTE ]
Some people play backasswards down here. They'll cap with QTo, and then limp with AA.

[/ QUOTE ]

I see this type of play too, from time to time, both online and live. Usually the player in question is a semi-maniac who tries to slowplay once he gets starting cards that truly are very strong.

It doesn't make much sense -- if you're going to overplay marginal cards, you'd think you'd want to gain at least some compensating benefit from this by playing strong when you have great cards too -- but apparently some maniacs and semi-maniacs don't see it that way.

Side note: At a B&M game I was at once, a player commented that it's great when you have aces and someone else raises before the action gets to you, because then you don't have to give your hand away.

[Nick C]

I wouldn't slow down after Button's flop raise, but it sounds like the large majority of the time you wouldn't either. I think calling the flop raise, with the plan of going for a check-raise on a non-club turn, is also an option (if the turn brought a third club, I guess I'd just bet out). This turn check-raise would have the advantage of putting pressure on CO. Then again, you would also open yourself up to a 3-bet.

Button would have to show me his cards before I would fold to the river raise.

Edit: For some reason, I thought you had top two on the flop. Since you didn't, I'd just 3-bet and go from there.

I still wouldn't fold the river without seeing Button's cards first, though.

[River2Pair]

[ QUOTE ]
Side note: At a B&M game I was at once, a player commented that it's great when you have aces and someone else raises before the action gets to you, because then you don't have to give your hand away.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well I was in a 6/12 game a few weeks ago, where I used that thought process, sort of.

Folds to CO, who raises. I have two red aces on the button. I call. Blinds both call.

All check to me on a ragged flop (I don't remember specifically). I bet, blinds fold, CO calls.

CO checkraises the turn, I 3-bet, CO folds.

Certainly that is a different situation than if there are four or so limpers to CO, who raises.

In a large, multi-way pot, I don't give a crap about disguising my hand.

[River2Pair]

Button tables 82o, MHING. I muck, CO mucks.

Damn, this game just got good. I peel a couple hundreds off my roll, holler for the chip runner, figuring I need more ammo, because I was determined to get this guy's money.

But here's where the real bad beat part of the story comes in. Three or so hands later, he racks up and goes to the window. Before the chip runner can even get to me, I win a medium sized pot, and put my roll away. The game was still good, but man, I got my hopes up for a second.