[Nick C]

Hand 1: Uncomfortable situations like this happen, when multiple maniacs are at the table.

I probably would have stuck around for four bets on the flop, like you did, and then would have given up on the turn.

The frustrating thing is, it's entirely possible the maniacs are trying to push you out of the hand and will slow down with their QJo and 66 once you're gone.

Edit: I should add that I think folding the flop when it's two to you might very well be best, if you pretty much know it's going to get capped behind you. I sometimes get stubborn, though, when I know the maniacs at the table are basically trying their best to make things uncomfortable for me.

Hand 2: AJs is good enough that I go ahead and raise preflop, even if I figure my raise will set off gamble-fever and attract people to get involved in a pot that's going to be capped. (I've played at tables like that. And when I have, I've wondered with some hands such as KQo whether it would be better to limp and go to the flop for one bet, instead of raising and setting off a big-pot frenzy. And I think it would be. But that's KQo and not AJs.)

Anyway, I would probably 3-bet the flop with my overcard and flush draw and vague straight potential. But, really, calling might be more sensible, as I'd imagine CO is staying in with any hand that can beat us if we improve, and if he's practically drawing dead versus the hands we hope to make (which includes a pair of jacks, by the way), then we'd rather not 3-bet if the inevitable cap from MP3 would drive CO out.

On the river, if CO hadn't called, I would have seriously considered doing so myself.