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CountDuckula
02-27-2004, 12:02 PM
I was playing in a play-money limit SNG at Party last night (I'm practicing and plan to be moving up to the $11 SNGs shortly, and higher as I get better, I hope). We were down to the last 5 players, and the guy immediately to my right began raising every single time the action came to him. It didn't seem to matter what his cards were. A few times, he got burned, but more often, everyone folded to him and he started taking over the lead. I tried to lay back and wait for good cards, but I got QQ in the pocket, started raising and capping, and at the end, he turned over AKo and rivered a pair of Ks. Soon after that, I busted out in 4th place, someone who'd left the table ended up in 2nd, and the maniac ended up 3rd (he lost a ton of chips to the 1st place finisher on a couple of hands, and his strategy collapsed on him after I busted out).

But I still have no idea what I should have done about him. Should I have gone into post-check-fold mode? That seemed to work for the guy who ended up 2nd.... Something else?

Now, granted, this was play money, but I figure that I'll run into similar players at the low-cost tables, and would like to have some idea what to do.

Thanks,
Mike

Utah
02-27-2004, 01:11 PM
First, as long as you are just beginning I would recommend the NL games instead of the limit games as you can have a much bigger edge long term.

In a limit game, the way to play a maniac is to 3-bet him every time you have anything playable at all. Don't just call him - reraise him. Otherwise, you are giving him a free money situation (i.e., he steals enough free money that it doesnt matter when someone calls him). Of course, in a tourney you need to be aware of the current situation when you go after him.

Maniacs are tough to play against and some of the best NL tourney players are nuts (just watch the World Poket Tour on Wednesdays to see).

Finally, get out of the play games. There are some really low entry games on Poker Stars that you can get into. Play money will not give you enough of a realistic feel for the game.

Good Luck

CountDuckula
02-27-2004, 01:27 PM
[ QUOTE ]
First, as long as you are just beginning I would recommend the NL games instead of the limit games as you can have a much bigger edge long term.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, thanks, but I haven't quite got the hang of NL yet. It's too easy for one mistake to knock me out early. I do a lot better in limit. NL play is a skill set I do want to pick up, but the advantage of limit is that I can make a blunder early and still recover, and I usually learn something by fighting my way back from it.


[ QUOTE ]
In a limit game, the way to play a maniac is to 3-bet him every time you have anything playable at all. Don't just call him - reraise him. Otherwise, you are giving him a free money situation (i.e., he steals enough free money that it doesnt matter when someone calls him). Of course, in a tourney you need to be aware of the current situation when you go after him.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, that's what I tried to do with the QQ hand I mentioned. He rivered a pair of Ks on me, and left me with barely enough to cover the next couple of blinds; had that K not shown up on the river, he would've been gone. Oh, well....


[ QUOTE ]
Maniacs are tough to play against and some of the best NL tourney players are nuts (just watch the World Poket Tour on Wednesdays to see).

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I've been watching that. /images/graemlins/smile.gif I still have a ways to go before I'm confident enough to go for NL myself, though.


[ QUOTE ]
Finally, get out of the play games. There are some really low entry games on Poker Stars that you can get into. Play money will not give you enough of a realistic feel for the game.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, I'd been playing some real money games on Party, and blew my rather limited bankroll in a couple of bad sessions (I tilted, and started throwing good money after bad). Due to (ahem) a slight disagreement with the wife, I've had to stick to play money games for a while. However, I've worked out a way to pump a bit more money into the poker account, and am simply trying to make sure I can win reasonably often at the play SNGs (which, while not entirely realistic, are better than the play ring games) before I start taking risks with real money again.


[ QUOTE ]
Good Luck

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks!

-Mike

Utah
02-27-2004, 02:01 PM
It's too easy for one mistake to knock me out early
Ha! Thats the whole point. You can slaughter your opponents in NL when they make a mistake. In limit, it just costs them a bet.

By all means, play limit. I have played 1,000s of hours online in both limit cash games and limit tourneys. I only went to NL when I played a couple of live NL and PL games at the world series a few years back and then limit just never seemed exciting enough. The problem is that limit messes you up when you got to NL. It cost me a few dollars to make the switch.

Yeah, that's what I tried to do with the QQ hand I mentioned. He rivered a pair of Ks on me, and left me with barely enough to cover the next couple of blinds; had that K not shown up on the river, he would've been gone. Oh, well
Thats going to happen. You cant worry about it. However, dont wait for AA,KK,QQ,A,K,A,Q to 3-bet him. Three bet with any A, any 2 face cards, a pair, etc. HFAP has a good discussion of this in the short handed section (if you dont have the book yet - get it. It is a must read).

Well, I'd been playing some real money games on Party, and blew my rather limited bankroll in a couple of bad sessions (I tilted, and started throwing good money after bad). Due to (ahem) a slight disagreement with the wife, I've had to stick to play money games for a while. However, I've worked out a way to pump a bit more money into the poker account, and am simply trying to make sure I can win reasonably often at the play SNGs (which, while not entirely realistic, are better than the play ring games) before I start taking risks with real money again.
For someone new to online play or to Holdem in general, I would definately recommend moving over to Poker Stars. You start with many more chips and therefore the games last longer. This has two effects, 1) You can play much longer for the same amount of money and 2) skill plays a bigger factor so you can pick your spots more. I am not sure what the low game is on party but they have 5+.50 games on Poker Stars. you should last a very long time with a bankroll of $50.

Also, never ever tilt. I have probably 5,000 to 6,000 hours playing since the late 90s and I have never tilted once. Wont do it. If I get pissed, I break things (I have a favorite tree outside my office that I throw cheap mugs against). But I never let bad beats effect my play.