Is this a fish, maniac, or LAG?

[beekeeper]

A guy who recently joined our local game (NLHE, home tournament) has won 4 out of the last 6 tournaments (We play 3/night). He knocks a lot of guys out, and has a lot of us scratching our heads.

From observation, it seems like he will put most to all of his chips in, at any point in the tournament (but especially early on) with way the worst of it. Example: last week he called 1/3rd his stack preflop, then called all in on the flop with J /images/graemlins/diamond.gif6 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif and just 1 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif on the flop, but no pair. Another example: early in another tournament, a known tight player goes all-in, is called by another known solid player, and he calls with QJo. He also bluffs a lot--he likes to raise big from early position or go all in if play is weak in front of him. He quickly amasses a big chip stack, and raises almost every pot. BTW, the 2 tournaments he didn't win, he busted out almost immediately.

I don't know whether he is a fish (he calls almost anything with weak holdings), a maniac (there seems to be no method to his raising madness) or a LAG (he's definitely loose and aggressive). More importantly, he seems to make his crazy hands with impunity. How do I adjust my play against this guy? Preferrably he needs to be knocked out before he gets that huge chip stack.

PS: Are the rest of us just that weak?

[4_2_it]

Sounds like a maniac running hot.

[beekeeper]

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Sounds like a maniac running hot.

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Anyway to survive against this guy while he's running hot?

[krimson]

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Sounds like a maniac running hot.

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Anyway to survive against this guy while he's running hot?

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Tip the dealer.

[4_2_it]

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Sounds like a maniac running hot.

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Anyway to survive against this guy while he's running hot?

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If someone's running hot there is nothing you can really do but wait for him to cool off (i.e. variance to kick in).

Some tips off the top of my head (I play cash games not tourneys, so the tourneys are encouraged to correct me):

Tighten up your starting hands when you are out of position in relation to the maniac.

When you are in position try to see flops cheap with suited connectors and broadway cards. Make good sized raises with premium hands, but don't become predictable to the rest of the table. The occasional 4x bb raise with 67s would not hurt.

Play your strong hands fast out of position and don't slow down much when you have position.

Don't give a maniac a free card. Make him pay.

Heads up, I will not call this type of player's bets. I'm either raising or folding.

Isolate him as often as possible and push, push, push. (Actually, I think this is the only advice that should help him cool down when he is running hot). If nothing else, it make slow him down and make him more predictable.

Of course, if he has the luck of the Irish there is nothing you can do in the short run.

[bernie]

You sit and wait. Go into 'sniper mode'. Pick your spots and fire.

Tighten up your starting hands against him. Look ahead in the hand and figure that you'll be putting lots if not all your chips in when against him. Now figure what kind of hands will do better in that situation. hint: Not marginal holdings.

Let your desperate buds take the hits with lesser hands while he builds a stack. He actually helps you when he knocks the other players out. They will likely be playing hands much lesser value than the situation calls for.

Do not adjust based on how he is running but on what he is playing and how others are adjusting to him.

b

Make sure you are not blind stealing. However, on the same token, if this guy pays attention, you can set up beautiful plays on him.

here's an example:

When you have minimal holdings, keep making "steal" attempts... and when he raises you, fold.. making it clear that you're attempting a weak steal. Finally, make the same move with good cards, and when he raises you, take his chips.

Basically, these guys like to be the table captain... so let him think he is, pick the correct spot, and nail his maniac ass to the wall.

BTW, he's not LAG. a LAG is someone who will see tons of flops, but only go crazy when they hit something.

this, is a maniac.