AK against a maniac and the rest of the table

[paperboyNC]

Ok I just sat down at this table and am shocked to see action. I sat out a few hands where the maniac raised non-stop with nothing. He then raises non stop with nothing against me. Look at these first two hands to get the picture.

**** SAMPLE HAND #1 - MANIAC IS MP ****
PokerStars 3/6 Hold'em (6 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is BB with Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Manic (MP) raises</font>, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, SB calls, <font color="#CC3333">Hero 3-bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Manic (MP) caps</font>, SB calls, Hero calls.

Flop: (12 SB) 6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Manic (MP) raises</font>, SB folds, <font color="#CC3333">Hero 3-bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Manic (MP) caps</font>, Hero calls.

Turn: (10 BB) J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Manic (MP) raises</font>, Hero calls.

River: (14 BB) Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Manic (MP) raises</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero 3-bets</font>, Manic (MP) folds.

Final Pot: 19 BB

**** SAMPLE HAND #2 - MANIAC IS BB ****

PokerStars 3/6 Hold'em (6 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is Button with T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
UTG calls, <font color="#666666">4 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Manic (BB) raises</font>, UTG calls.

Flop: (4.33 SB) 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Manic (BB) bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">UTG raises</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Manic (BB) 3-bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">UTG caps</font>, Manic (BB) calls.

Turn: (6.16 BB) 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Manic (BB) bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">UTG raises</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Manic (BB) 3-bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">UTG caps</font>, Manic (BB) calls.

River: (14.16 BB) 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Manic (BB) bets</font>, UTG calls.

Final Pot: 16.16 BB

Results:
Manic (BB) has 5s 2d (one pair, fives).
UTG has Ah Kd (one pair, aces).
Outcome: UTG wins 16.16 BB.

**** HAND IN QUESTION - MANIAC IS SB ****

I see this flop decision as extremely tough. While laying down AK offsuit pre-flop is bad, we have already had a raise and 3-bet pre-flop and the maniac is yet to act!

I read the raise and 3-bet as attempts to isolate the maniac. Everyone wants to be the one to win the huge pot off of him. The problem is that this makes a table very hard to read and makes playing a hand difficult.

Is this an easy call? Easy cap? Easy fold? I thought for about 10 seconds about this decision. I will follow-up with another decision against this maniac soon.

PokerStars 3/6 Hold'em (6 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is CO with A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
<font color="#CC3333">UTG raises</font>, <font color="#CC3333">MP 3-bets</font>, Hero ?