Ultra-Aggressive Players

Anyone come across this type of player and if you did, how you played agianst them? I was playing in a live tournament and one of the player at my table kept on raising pre-flop EVERY HAND. I couldn't call him with hands like 2,3 3,9 2,7 5,8. The other players wouldn't call him either. And to make matters worse, the player thought he had the game of poker figured inside out. Eventually, the chip leader took him out. If you ever faced this kind of player, how do you play?

I see it all the time, especially online. About all you can do is wait until you have a premium hand and take them out. I will generally become very passive when someone like this is at the table. I'll limp in with the big hand and see if they go for it. I've seen folks go on to win playing like this; however, as they can potentially bust out on nearly evey hand they are generally short lived...

ahhhh Dave is right but you need factor in where this guy is seated in relation to you, if he is to your right then you are in heaven, conversely if he is to your left then things can get a tad more complicated. If he is to your right wait till he fires a weak raise then hammer away at him. Now to your left requires a bit a strategy and gamble. If you think he is likely to RERAISE you then fire a normal raise and reraise him. All about strategy, I prefer to get as many chips as possible in the pot BEFORE the flop when you are dealing with maniacs. Others like to check raise flops and what not. The reason you need to get his chips in the pot with the worst hand preflop is you must punish him when he loses, because he is quite likely to suckout a monster on you if you let him in cheap!

Fixed.

You want people who don't know what they're doing to think they do know what they're doing - it makes them less likely to change.

Hi - I agree with Dave. I lay low until I can pounce. These types of players usually bust out soon rather than later. They are aggrevating but a necessity! LOL

I had a guy last night who plays exactly this way. He stripped me of all my chips in a "friendly" bar game. We were aquainted with each other. He was very aggressive all night and I felt I had the best hand. Everyone at the table felt I made the correct call - so I wasn't upset. There was no money involved, just a bunch of us playing and talking and drinking. Then he proceeds later to try and get me to do business with him and offers me his business card and goes on about how I should use him in our business and hire his company. Yah, right?!!

Maybe its just me, but I think poker brings out the true personality of a person. And that's an interesting thing to see and understand.

Just play extremely tight against him. Dont try to out draw him. When you know you have a better hand then him preflop or you flop two pair, this is where you make your moves. This is the best situation to build your stack.

It takes a certain type of personality to play that way, lots of chip stack swings etc. You just have to wait it out. Someone will take him out eventually or tame him back enough to a dull roar.

I agree, you want as much of your chips in as early as possible. Raise, reraise, go all in. Punish him preflop.Keep the decision on him. You may pick the wrong hand to take him on, but you have to take your shot if you get the cards to do it.

Sometimes it takes going all in, just to show that you know you have him beat and that you are willing to risk it all that hand.

I love those types. They think they are great and got unlucky when they lose. I usually use these guys to build my stack. Slow play is great with them.

Him (lost and out of tourney): You got lucky
Me: Lucky? I flopped a full house and let you bet yourself all in.
Him: Yeah you got lucky.
Me: If you say so but I didnt go all in with a pair of fours and a bad flush draw
Him: Lucky

I then chuckle to myself

Against these Types I like to take them on with pairs big ones preferably. All In preflop or a good raise and reraise, Ideally hoping no one else enters the fray. Ive tried it with a medium suited connector like JT or 89. I stay away from hands like kJ, QT (the trap hands) when facing an idiot. I am confident in my short game and would rather wait till the blinds are big anyway to make a move. Logistically you know they cant have a big hand every time. Sometimes you pick the wrong time to make the move and thats just poker. More times than not you wind up doubling up nicely!!