I outplayed myself!

[DocHollyday]

My usual 40/80 game. As already mentioned, there has been a maniac just sitting down to my left. I'm in the SB and get dealt A [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]10 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

A couple of limpers, I call and Maniac raises from BB. We all call and about 5 players see the flop:

6 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]6 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]9 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

I check, Maniac bets, UTG calls, the rest of field mucks. As I'm closing the betting round, I think I still could have best hand with my overcards (especially as the maniac will raise any ace). So I call.

Turn: 10 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]

Cool, Top pair. So now I intend to check-raise the damn maniac, alas I check, Maniac bets and UTG raises to 160! Damn, I'm either against trip 6 or a straight. So I muck as I have more or less only 2 clean outs.

River: 10 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

Damn I curse myself. Maniac check-calls and UTG shows 78 for a turned straight.

Although I like my fold for only two outs left after UTG raises, I think I'd paid his raise if I just would have come betting out, and would've ended up winning the hand.

Your thoughts???

[Vehn]

The average 40/80 player needs much less than top pair top kicker to raise a maniac on the turn.

[Nightwish]

So what you're saying is the following: had I only put $80 into the pot when I was way behind, had no chance of folding the players behind me, and was guaranteed to be facing a raise, then I would have called the raise and spiked my 4 outer on the river.

Having said that, Vehn is right. UTG would raise with much less than a straight or even a pair of T's. Against a maniac, any pair will do, so all UTG needs to do is knock you out and show down against the maniac's 2 random cards.