A9o out of position against maniac for 3 bets.

[bad beetz]

bay 20/40

woman throws in $10 all in. I raise in cutoff with A9o. Maniac to my immediate left (I'm up for a seat change) goes to muck but instead makes it three bets. Not an angle, he has a weak holding, possibly any ace, any pair, some other suited stuff, maybe high cards.

Flop is 443 rainbow. Maniac will probably not (but may) bet every street with nothing. How do you play the hand?

[Kaz The Original]

Call down, raise if you pair.

[DiamondDave]

This can't be the best possible way, but it takes the drama out of confrontations with a button who may be three-betting really light.

Plan on checking and calling to the river. Never fold before all the cards are out unless it looks likely that you'll end up losing to a one-card flush or straight. (Remember that the all-in player may have it even if the button doesn't.)

Don't let the button put in extra bets. Don't scare him out if he is bluffing. This means no betting into him or check-raising him unless you want to three-bet for value, and no betting out suddenly with ace high unless you have observed that your opponent is willing to fold to a turn bet that comes out of the blue.

No folding on the river whatsoever if the turn was bet and called. It should be pretty rare for you to fold on the river even if your opponent checks it all the way and the pot is small. But here there is an all-in player, so you may get to see the button's hole cards even if you fold, and your chance of winning the main pot with ace-high is much worse than it would be if you were heads-up. So I guess it's safe to fold pretty liberally on the river if the side pot is small.

If you have a pair, feel free to bet out on the river and enforce a one-bet-per-round tempo if he will call down with high card (not-so high card?) but check some pairs on on the end. If your opponent likes to try a bluff raise on the river, be more inclined to bet out with your pairs. If he likes to lead the betting through the turn but then fold on the river, better to check and let him try to bluff one more time. When I have no idea what my opponent's tendencies are, I tend to check-call with one pair and either lead or check-raise with bigger hands.

The other players at the table will probably think you're a calling station while admiring the button's nerve (if you lose) or admire your hand-reading skills while figuring the button for a loose cannon (if you win). You may catch some flak, but scrooum. Chalk it up to playing a kinda crappy hand that may be good against an aggressive player who has position on you. Whatever happens, be prepared to forecast the conclusion the other players will draw and stay one step ahead of them.

[onegymrat]

[ QUOTE ]
Maniac to my immediate left (I'm up for a seat change) goes to muck but instead makes it three bets.

[/ QUOTE ]
This is the key to your question. Although most maniacs could have anything, I don't buy the "going to muck then 3-bet" act as if he reraised for the hell of it. He has something worth playing.

I don't like check-calling down. You just may find that you lose to A-10o. You chose to raise an all-in player with a mediocre holding knowing that a maniac acts after you, now you must play it strong. Bet and hope he folds somewhere down the road. Even maniacs fold the river with no pair.

[elysium]

hi bad

how are you?

my test spiel, my test spiel! come back! awww bad, i had a great take the test post for you. a little unintensional click and puff!

i remember it.

bad, i am too tired. i will post it tommorow in its entirety.

[bad beetz]

f

[bad beetz]

he had 22.

The all in player was in for half a small bet, so you can basically play the hand as if she's not in.