Comments welcome

[MickeyHoldem]

NL live game Blinds 2-5.... $500 max buy-In

In the cutoff, one EP limper (loose maniac), rest fold, I raise to $20 wtih K/images/graemlins/spade.gif T/images/graemlins/spade.gif , and the BB and maniac call. FLOP: K/images/graemlins/diamond.gif 5/images/graemlins/club.gif 2/images/graemlins/club.gif ... checked to me... I bet out $50 and get called by both ... TURN:K/images/graemlins/club.gif BB pushes all-in for $85 more... maniac calls... What do you do? Maniac has about $600 more in front of him and barely has me covered.

Any feedback is appreciated!!!

[Kaz The Original]

I am not happy raising preflop with K10, but so be it. I call the turn, and look to boat up. I play it carefully on the river. I might bet again (maniacs who always bluff are often sherrifs as well) if maniac checks, and I'd probably call a moderate bet assuming no other clubs.

[psuasskicker]

Maniac's all of a sudden cold calling some big bets? ugh... If he's truly a maniac, that's screaming he's got a monster hand. If not, if he's just loose but sometimes aggressive, you've probably got him beat.

Tough to get off this hand. But it's possible. No easy answer here.

FWIW, I think this is a direct result of your PF raise with KTs. That's a crappy hand to be raising with PF, I don't care if you're in position or not. Not just because it's not a strong hand, but because it builds the pot to a size that makes decisions just like this one tough, rather than easy. How much easier is this hand if the action went:

In the cutoff, one EP limper (loose maniac), rest fold, I call $5 wtih K /images/graemlins/spade.gif T /images/graemlins/spade.gif , and the BB and maniac call. FLOP: K /images/graemlins/diamond.gif 5 /images/graemlins/club.gif 2 /images/graemlins/club.gif ... checked to me... I bet out $20 and get called by both ... TURN:K /images/graemlins/club.gif BB pushes all-in for $115 more...

Now the pot is still big, but it costs you a lot to play a hand that might be dominated a couple ways. Much easier to get off the hand.

- C -