strategy against a maniac

[turnipmonster]

cnfuzzd should find this post interesting at least. the cast of characters:

directly to your left is super maniac, 97/83. don't remember aggression, but he will bet any street if checked to and raise if bet into, except when he has a pair he will call down sometimes (?!).

directly to maniac's right are two loose players who continually try to isolate, and in general play pots with this guy. they are LAGs also but not as extreme. they will generally play fit or fold after the flop.

the rest of the players are tight and stay out of the way unless they have a hand.

what I am interested in is thoughts on what your preflop strategy should involve, keeping in mind you will get lots of value on your big hands and you will also pay at least two bets to see every flop.

edited: the ubermaniac is on your left
--turnipmonster

[bunky9590]

Big pairs, med pairs down to 88, Big Broadways suited, and AK AQ. Everything else gets dumped, oh yeah and I call with darn near any two for one bet in my BB. Implied odds are extreme.

[turnipmonster]

ok, what about limping/raising/limpreraising spectrum for those hands?


--turnipmonster

[J.R.]

do you mean left where you say right? If not, you should be playing lots of hands because the two lags
[ QUOTE ]
will generally play fit or fold after the flop.


[/ QUOTE ]
and the other 2 are tight, so you can and should be able to raise the the maniac's flop bets a good bit, isolating the maniac. You should be also 3-betting preflop a lot to clear out the two tight players on your left. Because of the two tighties on your left you should also be stealing with a lot of hands on the button. You should also be defending you BB to steals and the rare sb open-raise a lot more than normal.

[bunky9590]

[ QUOTE ]
ok, what about limping/raising/limpreraising spectrum for those hands?


[/ QUOTE ]

Jesus Paul, Now your're gonna make me think? /images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Position is always paramount in the hand (ie button blind etc.)

Lemme give it a whirl.

Big pairs, obviously a raise from any position, that would probably go down to JJ, Id raise, cap, to get as many bets in on the flop and be committed to showdown against said maniac unless it comes down really really bad. We do have position on him after all.

Big suited broadways Id try to isolate him if I could but if the LAGs to his right have gotten involved in the hand and raised before him, and maniac reraises, I may find a cold call, I may cap there, really depends on how well the LAGS play post flop, Im not folding Big suited Broadways preflop in a game like that with position for multiple bets, too much equity vs. LAGS and a stone cold maniac.

AK AQ. I still jam that from any position, but have to be careful once the flop comes down, obviously if I hit the flop its ram and jam time. If not I'm peeling to see he turn as long as its not super expensive.

TT, 99, 88. I'd much rather have these in LP than EP, but its a raise regardless, it may drive out the LAGs and allow me to take the maniac HU (with the LAGs KNOWING the three bet is coming much less my cap.)

The hands I'm gonna play will be aggressive PF, the way I play them Post flop depends on what I hit and position relaitve to the LAGs/Maniac, to maximize my chances of winning the pot and/or getting the $$ in.

Hope that helps, too many scenarios to get real specific.

[turnipmonster]

I'm sorry, I mean directly on your left is the maniac, followed by two LAGs.

[bunky9590]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm sorry, I mean directly on your left is the maniac, followed by two LAGs.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, that just effed up my entire post.

[bunky9590]

[ QUOTE ]
directly on your left is the maniac, followed by two LAGs.



[/ QUOTE ]

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what I am interested in is thoughts on what your preflop strategy should involve,

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My strategy would involve getting in a different game if I couldn't get on their left. Seriously. Id rather pound on the passives.

/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

[BK_]

in general i would focus on opening hands that give me nice top pair opportunties. that means i would add a couple aces, continue opening hands like k10s, and cut down on some hands like 66-77.

if the loosies are folding to my opens, i would be opening alot more hands vs the maniac. if the pot is routinely going 3 or 4 way, i use the range above

[turnipmonster]

sorry man. good thoughts anyways.

[tolbiny]

If the two lags to his left will try to isolate after i limp and he raises- but fold most of the time when i open and he three bets- then i am limp-reraising AA-QQ, AKs. I will open riase with AKo hoping to get three bet so i can get it heads up as i will be showing down my A high against him so much that i def don't want others in that hand. JJ-77 And my AQ-A8, KQ-KTs, QJs i am opening as well to clear the field- there are going to be so many situations where the flop comes over cards and i will have to dump a ton of bets in against the lags and the maniac.

[helpmeout]

Raise only big hands like AK AQ AA KK QQ JJ TT

Limp with hands like KQo KJs AJ AT 99 88 and a few more suited hands depending on how many players you are expecting in the pot.

Only bet/raise if you hit the flop. Call down with big aces or medium PPs if you miss (assuming it is HU by the turn)

[Guy McSucker]

[ QUOTE ]

directly to your left is super maniac

...

directly to maniac's right are two loose players who continually try to isolate


[/ QUOTE ]

Brothers and sisters have I none, but this man's father is my father's son.

You are accusing me of being loose and continually trying to isolate, and I object.

Guy.