Middle pair against a known maniac
 

PokerStars 0.10/0.20 Hold'em (10 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, Hero calls, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, MP2 calls, <font color="#CC3333">MP3 (Villain) raises</font>, <font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, BB calls, Hero calls, MP2 calls.

Flop: (8.50 SB) J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(4 players)</font>
BB checks, Hero checks, MP2 checks, <font color="#CC3333">Villain bets</font>, BB folds, Hero?

Villain is a known maniac who will play literally any two cards preflop. He raises often, frequently with marginal hands.

Re: Middle pair against a known maniac
 

Raise his bet, probably bringing it heads up with him. And then put in the number of bets you feel comfortable with later.

Re: Middle pair against a known maniac
 

What about the cases where Villain does have the J? Even maniacs sometimes get solid hands. Seems to me like if that's the case, I'm drawing at five outs. I have the odds to check-call the flop, but not to call a turn bet when it doesn't help me.

Re: Middle pair against a known maniac
 

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What about the cases where Villain does have the J?

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Then you're probably going to lose some $.
If you're into +EV poker, this is an easy raise.

Re: Middle pair against a known maniac
 

well... start by putting him on a hand range.
for example (note this is not the hand range i would actually consider here, but just for simplicity):

he has a worse 9: 40% of the time
he has a J: 20% of the time
he has overcards without an ace: 20% of the time
he has overcards with an ace: 20% of the time

ok if this is his range, what is your best play?
it doesnt matter if in this case he does or does not have the J, you cant possibly know that for sure. all that matters is giving him LIKELY hands, and playing according to that. here i would say you are well ahead of, possibly even reverse dominating, a lot of his hand range. as such you need to get bets in on the flop.