NL 1-2 JJ/KK vs preflop MANIAC
 

Hi all,

I want to discuss a rare situation that happened to me last night. I was playing 1-2 NL, and a very bad player enters the table. He is sitting on my left in a 5 handed game. About 25-30 pts of the hands - often when it is unraised to him - he raises to between 20 and 30 dollars. Of course, this gives the rest of us an edge.

During the session, it is also discovered that he often likes to call down re-raises. He has been calling an all-in re-raise (to about 100 dollars) with A [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] T [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] - and lost. He has still got 150 dollars in his stack.

I therefore limp when i recieve J [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] J [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] from the dealer. As usual he raises to 20. I go all-in. I did the exact same play K [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] K [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. What do you think about it?

I have to add that this player seems to be more reasonable postflop. He is not giving away the same amounts of money then. At least he cools down after a pot-sized bet.

With which range of hands do you guys advice the limp-reraise bet? Can this be played in a different way? Once in a while I meet this type of player (with maniac preflop raises) and i find it a bit tricky to play "group 2-hands" like A [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] J [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] or 8 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 8 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] against them.

Re: NL 1-2 JJ/KK vs preflop MANIAC
 

Against maniacs, I like to put as much money in preflop as possible. If you know their all-in range includes hands like ATs, then it's very easy to make +EV decisions with just two cards.

If he happened to have QQ here, that's unfortunate, but your jacks are in fine shape against his complete range.

Re: NL 1-2 JJ/KK vs preflop MANIAC
 

My "range" of limp-reraise hands here, were the 6 highest pairs + plus AK. I felt that with the 6 highest pairs, I had such a great posibility of finding him on AT LEAST one undercard.

Cards like AQ, AJ, 88-66 i tried to play more standard, that means normally raise them and hope that he respected me.

Playing in this kind of situation, I also considered more passive play pre-flop and try to get the money in against the maniac with 80/20 and 90/10 situations. That would be better than most preflop situations. However, this actual guy made a lot more reasonable plays post-flop.

While writing, I have totell you about the two situations with KK and JJ. First with JJ i got all-in about him, he showed me Q [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 6 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] !!! BANG! Q in the flop.

Afterwards i limped with KK, and he raised to 36 dollars. (We are still playing 1/2 here...) I went all-in, of course, and got called by A [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]..... [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

Re: NL 1-2 JJ/KK vs preflop MANIAC
 

[ QUOTE ]
Playing in this kind of situation, I also considered more passive play pre-flop and try to get the money in against the maniac with 80/20 and 90/10 situations. That would be better than most preflop situations.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is common thinking, and you can make some good arguments for it, but I think it's a mistake. A maniac's strategy is about the simplest one possible, and the most exploitable. It doesn't take fancy play to profit from them, and by overthinking things you may be confusing yourself out of easy money.

Sure, it's nice to get chips in at 85% instead of 60%, but the maniac's style of play will force you either fold missed flops or get money in as an underdog sometimes, too. Postflop, you'll never know where you stand as clearly as you do preflop.

Re: NL 1-2 JJ/KK vs preflop MANIAC
 

It really depends on how much money you got in front of you. Also it depends on how much money he will call. If you both got deep stacks then a reraise all in against him isnt a good play since you are committing way too much with JJ and its less likely he will call and make the mistake you want him to. You can make the limp reraise and play it according to the flop (that is if your stack sizes are deep enough not to be automaticly all in on the flop). I like giving him/you a second chance to fold/make a mistake. I guess if he is willing to call all-ins with A10s then you might be doing the correct play. However, I still believe in playing the flop and giving yourself a chance to get away if the flop hits 2 overs. This is all nullified if your stack is basicly committed after the reraise, in which case go all in.

But hey, I'm tired... not too sure if what I am saying is correct.