On Being a Maniac

[TeeVeeDude]

Let me preface this post by saying that I'm not a very good poker player, but I'm getting better. However, this post isn't about playing well, it's about deliberately playing badly and the lessons that I learned.

Yesterday I was in a SNG, just a party $10+1. One player was nuts, he went all-in on the first hand and after everyone folded he showed a 64o. A couple of hands later he goes all-in again, gets called and loses with K-10o.

For a while things are uneventful... I'm not getting any cards and folding a lot. Then it's level 2, nine players left, I have T$775, and I get a phone call.

A friend from Atlanta is passing through on his way to Washington. He's stopped at a coffee shop on I-85 and I can have a chance to visit for a few minutes if I can get there in the next 20 minutes or so.

I consider just leaving the table, letting the software post my blinds and fold until the money is gone. But I decide to have some fun instead... I'm going all in with my next hand no matter what it is.

It comes up Q9o, I push all in, and get two callers. One has AKs and one has a pair of aces. I end up with a Q high straight and bust both of them.

Next hand I get KK! All-in, one caller, he has QQ and doesn't get any help.

I keep pushing on every hand, sometimes with no callers, sometimes with one or two. By now I have more than double the chips of everyone else so I can lose and still keep playing. I really don't care what the outcome is, I just want to leave as soon as possible...

Of course, the inevitable happened... I eventually lose three hands in a row and go out in 4th place.

Lessons learned:

1) Respect the all-in. Even if he went all-in with crap, why risk the whole tournament on a coin-toss early on?

2) On the other hand, don't be afraid to raise all-in (as opposed to calling all-in). It can be a powerful move.

3) I'm not nearly as fearful of playing at a table with a maniac as I used to be. Having played it from the maniac's side, I feel like I have a better handle on how to respond to it.

4) It is FUN to push everyone at the table around, especially when you know you are making them fold hands that are better than yours.

5) When I became totally unconcerned about outcome I suddenly started getting a great outcome! If I could combine that total lack of concern with results with a proper starting hand selection and post-flop strategy, then I suspect amazing things might happen.

Obviously, playing the maniac all the time would be a losing strategy. But you might want to consider investing $10 in a SNG and being the maniac just for the experience.

Any other lessons I'm missing here? I'd appreciate comments from the more experienced (ie, everyone) here.

[Cleveland Guy]

I did a similiar thing at a pokerroom $5+1 the other night.

I entered, and then decided I was too tired to play it seriously, so I thought I'd have some fun.

Went all in first hand from LP. Picked up about 120.

2 crappy hands in a row - I fold.

All in again with Ax. Get a call from KQ - A holds up 1 down.

3 hands later - all in with 66. Up against AKs. 66 holds up - 2 down.

1 hand later- all in with nothing. No calls
next hand - all in re-raise. Up against pocket KK (oops)

couple hands later - all in with another Ax suited. vs. 88. I hit the flush. we are now down to about 5 left.

I kept going all in - lost a couple, and stacks cought up to me, but I did finish 3rd and had a blast doing it!

What I learned

1. This way can be a fun way to play if you don't mind losing the buy in and say "I'm gonna have fun for my $6

2. You have to win the first hand - or else it's a short game

3. You generally make the whole table play loose - which leads to some interesting hands

4. While some people will lay down a better hand than yours, others will call with very marginal ones, that they probably wouldn't against other people

5. It really screws the table dynamic

I'll also not advise as a long term strategy - but it was fun to do for a while when I didn't feel like outthinking my opponents.

[playerfl]

"Respect the all-in. Even if he went all-in with crap, why risk the whole tournament on a coin-toss early on?"

it is amazing how many people will disagree with you on this. In my experience so far, and from book learning, you are correct.