Playing against a maniac...

[Pete Chestna]

I could use some advice on a particular hand and in general about playing against a maniac.

I play in a weekly tournament and usually go very deep so I never play in the side game, but I had heard that there was a maniac that could care less about his money and really only comes to play the side game. Last night the deck was ice for me in the tournament and I was out before the first break so I decided to play in the side games. I bought in for $60 in a 1/2 NL with 10 people. At that time the maniac wasn't seated yet. In about an hour and a half I had over $300 in front of me.

The maniac sits down at me table. A little about his playing style:
a. He loves to see flops and will call almost any raise.
b. If he gets any piece of the flop, he almost cannot get away from the hand.
c. He usually calls every bet hoping to catch or hoping that the opponent is bluffing. For instance, there was a hand last night that a 3 flush came on the flop and a 3 straight on the turn and he continued to call his money off with second pair.

So anyway, I am in the SB with about $380 in front of me. Full table (10) and get 8 limpers to me. I have AKh. With $17 in the pot, I raise to $25. I get 2 callers. One is loose agressive in seat 4 and the maniac in seat 5. The flop comes K52 rainbow. I figure that I am in great shape and lead out for $50. The LA drops out and the maniac calls. The turn brings another blank and I lead out for $100 and again the maniac calls. The river is a Q and again I lead for $100. This time the maniac moves over the top for another $60 all-in. I make the call and he flips over Q5 and his two pair take the pot. In my opinion, even if I bet stronger, say $100 on the flop, I suspect he would have called. He may have even called an all-in. I saw no reason to risk that many chips and the texture of the flop was very favorable to my AK, so I figured myself as a 4-1 favorite at that point. No scare cards came to make me think that he had any legitimate draws.

Opinions? Commentary?

Thanks,
Pete

[AaronBrown]

I think you played it perfectly until the river. If you play this hand 100 times, you get rich. Once in a while, someone will get lucky; but you should have no trouble winning the money back because this hand will only encourage his wildness.

Although you have a strong hand and your opponent is loose, there are many ways to lose this hand after all the cards are dealt. The most likely one is what happened, the opponent captured a second pair on the last card. But he could have a set, or have gotten two pair earlier (although he would have bet deceptively if this is the case).

If you have him beat, he has to know it. So the only reason to bet $100 on the river is the player's reputation of calling anything. Also, playing against a maniac, you're probably going to call an all-in bet anyway, so your $100 doesn't cost you anything.

Still, you have to be careful betting this much money on what you think a person will do. In this case you were right, and it didn't make any difference anyway. But that's the only possible criticism of your play on this hand.

[trumpman84]

This guy sounds like a gold mine. Just never bluff him and value bet him to death. You got unlucky once, but think about it...he's going to double you up almost whenever you want and it doesn't even look like he tries to outplay you by raising, so you should know exactly what he has at all times. If he raises your bet he's got likely two pair or better..maybe top pair. If he's calling your bets, he has less than top pair.

[speirs]

[ QUOTE ]
A little about his playing style:
a. He loves to see flops and will call almost any raise.
b. If he gets any piece of the flop, he almost cannot get away from the hand.
c. He usually calls every bet hoping to catch or hoping that the opponent is bluffing. For instance, there was a hand last night that a 3 flush came on the flop and a 3 straight on the turn and he continued to call his money off with second pair.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hi Pete sofar he doesn't sound like a maniac but just a loose passive player, or: Bad player. In the long run those are your ATM's so stick to your game and you'll get the money eventually.

[speirs]

Oh yes and the hand looks fine. Sounds like a good game also, 8 limpers...

[bernie]

[ QUOTE ]
The maniac sits down at me table. A little about his playing style:
a. He loves to see flops and will call almost any raise.
b. If he gets any piece of the flop, he almost cannot get away from the hand.
c. He usually calls every bet hoping to catch or hoping that the opponent is bluffing. For instance, there was a hand last night that a 3 flush came on the flop and a 3 straight on the turn and he continued to call his money off with second pair.


[/ QUOTE ]

This isn't a maniac. It's a calling station.

b

[arod15]

Thats poker. Congratulate him and compliment him on his play. Say wow, i would have never thought i was beat. Then next week take all his money and continue doing so until he has none left to take. Its a tough break. Only semi mistake i saw was calling the river . But i didnt do the math Pot odds might have justified it. I probably would have saved the 60. Anyway, dont be upset and whatever you do DONT critizice his horrible play. He will pay you off ineveitbly if he plays there every week.

[OrangeKing]

I count about $650 in the pot; I think folding getting nearly 11-1 on the river with TPTK is criminal (though you could certainly fold to a larger bet).

[AaronBrown]

No, I wouldn't fold on the river, especially against this player. But I would check unless I was very, very confident he would throw away his money with no cards; and that he would go all in with two pair anyway.

Against 999 out of 1,000 poker players, betting into a guy who pretty well knows whether or not he has you beat is a mistake.

[kasey2004]

ya maniacs have nothing at all to do with call call call call call CATCH.. haha calling stations anyway...

as for the hand it was played fine eventhough u expect u are beat by some horrible trash on the river no way u can fold getting 11-1 on a call.

come back next week and take it back