Ultra-aggressive heads-up player

I'm trying to think of a good way to play somebody heads-up who is ultra-aggressive. He raises every hand before the flop with the exception of his truly terrible hands, which he'll throw away (probably playing ~90% of hands). He bets/rasies every flop. He will raise the turn frequently as a bluff to win the pot, and will call down the river frequently with very weak hands (K high). It's difficult to put him on any hand at all.


I normally play quite aggressively, but this is not effective against this guy, since you can seldom (if ever) pick up the pot with a flop/turn raise. I think that the best way to play him is to let him bet himself out of all his money, especially on the flop and turn. Then, start busting him on the turn, where he'll still make many (wrong) calls and (even better) a more wrong reraise. There's gotta be a good way to hang a guy with his own rope in a situation like this...


However, to put this plan into action, I have a few questions:


1. What hands should I play before the flop? This is especially important when I'm first to act.


2. How weak of a hand does it take to call on the river? I realize that this is a function of pot size, but most of them will have several BB in them.


3. Should I play this guy using game theory like one could in draw poker, since the board almost doesn't matter with him? If so, what's the best way to evaluate my % of winning and to know when I'm ahead?


It's tough to fold a hand when involved so as not to give him an automatic profit - not just before the flop but later in the hands as well. I have an ample bankroll to play this guy, though, so I'm ready for some huge swings.

The correct strategy is to not play him at all. But if you insist on playing him, try to be even more aggressive than he is. Take the momentum away from him by becoming even more maniacal than he can ever be.

thats terrible advice IMHO. lemme give you the perfect example on how to neutralize the type of player you desribe (i want a % of ur winnings from this dillpickle), Lets say he is on the button and raises, and u have A6 off... flop of A Q 2, just check and call down.... the neutralizer my friend! You are using his aggressiveness to your advantage. If you would ckraise the flop you are giving away too much info... let him bet and just call.

I am so great. I am the best. Better than the rest, IMHO.


SWIFTY

That's the worst heads-up advice I've ever heard vs someone who doesn't fold 90% preflop and pays off with king high, not that's always bad. What are you going to raise with? Your bad hands? Or not at all?


Rope-A-Dope works well vs the "bet till you show agression then fold" type of player.


Have a nice day.


MS Sunshine

I was trying to convey the idea that this maniac will not have a "hand" most of the time in that situation, and if he is known to bet, bet, bet, you might as well let him.


SWIFTY

they key to my initial response is the flop that i stated- A Q 2, checking and calling down will make him think of K10 or J10, if he has a queen he will surely bet all the way, hoping that you would call with ur unimproved K10, then again if he has 67 and always is betting the turn, he probably will go ahead with the steal on the river, ... as i said before, the neutralizer!

Don't doubt me MS, I make too much sense for that.

THANX

SWIFTY

MS has the medicine for this guy!

Surely you would have to raise if he is gonna reraise with anything, and maybe even with nothing. Sounds like a dangerous opponent but reverting to check and call is not good poker, and you are halfway to falling into his gameplan.

wrong! like talking to my left foot-- all of you.... i dont feel the need to explain further as that would only frustrate me more and make you more confused, so u play ur way and ill play mine, and ill take ur doogans and buy myself some farva beans.


SWIFTY

So you wouldn't even check raise the river here swifty? What are the chances he can beat aces in your black and white opinion?

As the old saying goes, "Fight fire with fire".

If he can do *anything* with *anything*, you can treat him as a random hand- if you can beat the random hand, you're fine.


Further, if he's got rags two thirds of the times he represents strength, then there's no reason to fold to him, or even try to figure when he's bluffing or not... just call whenever you beat a bluff and you should come out ahead.


Just my thoughts. Standard disclaimer: I'm am idiot.


2ndGoat

I haven't read all the other posts but we have a fairly detailed discussion of exactly how to play against this type of player in the short handed section of the 21st Century edition of Hold 'em Poker For Advanced Players.

Thanks for all the input, though it seems that there's no real consensus (as I feared). My current plan is to enter with most hands, but playing a little tighter preflop (especially out of position) than I normally would heads-up, because I will go to the river with just about anything. I check and call a lot on the river, but bang away most anything until then (getting a bunch of extra calls along the way). Also, with weak hands, such as A-high and even a low pair, I will check behind him on the river since I have no chance of winning the pot there. It's high-variance to play against this guy, but should show some good profit nonetheless.