dealing with hyper aggressive players

[lebowski58]

I play in a weekly home tournament with 8-10 guys for 10 dollar buy in. I'm having a difficult time figuring out how to deal with one of the players. He is RIDICULOUSLY aggressive. I've seen that when it comes to showdowns he doesn't have very high raising standards. (obviously) and he tends to scare people out unless they have monsters because he'll bet any draw or nearly any pair HUGE. At first I just thought he was an idiot. But I realize his strategy is a good one. He finishes in the money most nights and when he builds any kind of stack he usually wins. I just interested in you guy's advice on how to handle this strategy. For what it's worth I consider myself moderately tight aggressive. But he usually trumps my aggressiveness with a vengeance. I've been just waiting for monsters and it's not working.

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.

[captZEEbo1]

Does he fold his draws ever? If he does, start c/r allin, and hoping he doesn't have top pair. What does he do when he is reraised preflop? Does he call with whatever he raised with? If they are inable to make laydowns, just wait for a hand, and check it to him, and let them bet it.

If he's capable of making good laydowns, be ballsy and reraise him.

[ChrisV]

Not enough information - how is he building his stack? Is he pushing people out at showdowns? Making moves on flops? Stealing blinds? Does he fold if people play back at him, or call down? Is the structure of the tournament fast or slow blind increases? What's starting stack and blinds? etc...

[slickterp]

i agree w/ capt. you see these types of guys in SnG's alot, and you just need to wait them out until you get a hand and then hammer them all in.

[lebowski58]

He rarely steals blinds but even when we have position on him he tends to take over the hand. He ALWAYS checkraises, and reraises opening bets. Sometimes when I come back over, he'll fold but most of the time, he'll call and just continue the aggression on the turn. He nearly ALWAYS checks the river or calls your bet unless he has a set or top pair with best kicker. ALWAYS represents the flush if it's out there. When it's showndown he usually shows a marginal hand, but he plays these just like monsters. If he's playing a hand he's raising preflop and nearly always bets or raises to any flop bet.

The blinds in our game go up every half hour (5-10, 10-20, 15-30, 20-40, 25-50....etc. So it's pretty slow. But by the time they get to 50-100 he has occasionally busted out if he runs into a monster but usually he has a large enough stack to dominate the game.

We start with 1200 in chips.

Sorry i didn't provide these details in the original post.

[Prime Time]

Shhhhhhhhh.
You just posted the formula of a world class player.

[YourFoxyGrandma]

[ QUOTE ]
Shhhhhhhhh.
You just posted the formula of a world class player.

[/ QUOTE ]

Agreed. This sounds alot like Brunson's style of play.

[lebowski58]

[ QUOTE ]
Shhhhhhhhh.
You just posted the formula of a world class player.

[/ QUOTE ]

How did i know this was coming? =)

So maybe rather than trying to crack this guy i should emmulate his style? Would having two players playing this way at a table present any new strategy?

I REALLY appreciate you guys' feedback. I'm becoming obsessed with becoming a good tournament player.

[YourFoxyGrandma]

I don't think trying to crack this guy should be your primary objective at the tournament table, nor do I think you need to emulate him necessarily. Just know that if you're going to play against him, you need be super-aggressive back at him.

[lebowski58]

Just wanted to share a hand I played with "mr. hyper aggressive" last night.

Hosted a 2 table $10 buy in tourney with 16 guys. I was seated with MHA 2 to my left. He built up a big stack early (as he usually does) and on the button, I'm dealt A /images/graemlins/heart.gifA /images/graemlins/club.gif.

I raise to 125 (blinds 20-40) and expect a call. He actually reraises to 200 and I call. Flop comes 10 /images/graemlins/club.gif2 /images/graemlins/club.gif9 /images/graemlins/heart.gif. I check to him, he bets 200 and I raise to 400. He calls.

Turn 6 /images/graemlins/club.gif. He bets 250 and I immediately push. 915 more.

He contemplates his decision for about a minute, during which he shows me his hand. He held 5 /images/graemlins/club.gif9 /images/graemlins/club.gif. So he's got me beat......I'm praying he doesn't call.

He lays it down and it takes every ounce of my self control not to show it to him.

Comments? Criticism? Praise?

Thanks guys,
Chris

[sofere]

Why not reraise him PF? You're obviously not slowplaying your AA, so why not get the most out of it when you know you have the best hand.

[lebowski58]

That's interesting. I thought about doing this but I figured if I displayed any ounce of weakness that he would pounce on it. I thought that a reraise would have caused him to put on the brakes a bit. Since I was on the button and it was folded to me, I think he thought I was on a steal, hence reraising with club rags. I knew i had the best hand but I wanted him to believe that he might have a shot at bluffing me out. I think if you watched the guy play you'd understand the decision not to reraise. I really appreciate the feedback though man, and I thank you.....

Chris

[rjb03]

[ QUOTE ]
Just wanted to share a hand I played with "mr. hyper aggressive" last night.

Hosted a 2 table $10 buy in tourney with 16 guys. I was seated with MHA 2 to my left. He built up a big stack early (as he usually does) and on the button, I'm dealt A /images/graemlins/heart.gifA /images/graemlins/club.gif.

I raise to 125 (blinds 20-40) and expect a call. He actually reraises to 200 and I call. Flop comes 10 /images/graemlins/club.gif2 /images/graemlins/club.gif9 /images/graemlins/heart.gif. I check to him, he bets 200 and I raise to 400. He calls.

Turn 6 /images/graemlins/club.gif. He bets 250 and I immediately push. 915 more.

He contemplates his decision for about a minute, during which he shows me his hand. He held 5 /images/graemlins/club.gif9 /images/graemlins/club.gif. So he's got me beat......I'm praying he doesn't call.

He lays it down and it takes every ounce of my self control not to show it to him.

Comments? Criticism? Praise?

Thanks guys,
Chris

[/ QUOTE ]

I like the call preflop if you think he is on a resteal with marginal hand, but only if you're in position on the proceeding rounds and he will continue on any flop.

[Voltron87]

To play this player try trapping him with position. With a hand like AA in the CO or button, just call him down. If he isn't betting check it down, most players like him can't stand a check or two without betting into the pot. However if there is a big draw against your aces, raise or reraise so he is getting bad odds. That is all you can do.


You have to trap him, and the most important thing about trapping a player is having position on him.

[Bigwig]

BTW, once he showed you his hand, he did fold. There was no 'decision' after that.

Anyway, I like the way you played it preflop. Let him trap himself. However, with that flop, you've got to come back with a much bigger raise than simply doubling his original bet.