A Predictable Maniac

At a full 10 handed table, you have a "maniac" who announces he will raise every single time it is his turn to act. In this sense he is absolutely predictable. He does raise every single time the action is to him.
Where do you want the brush to seat you? Just curious.

Bill

At a different table?

Definitely made me chuckle.

Some maniacs are predictable with even saying anything.

I had one person at a table. Raised every single time he was UTG. After like 7 times of doing it I decided to anounce his raise right before he did it. He said he had only done that like 2 time in the last 7 rounds. I said. Sure you did.

It was funny.

Yes, their predictability is an asset. Perhaps, announcing his raise before he did was not profitable...but hilarious for sure!
Where do you want him? your left, your right, across the table.
Or as MicheleW said "at another table."

You folks are so much fun!

Bill

On the right of you so you can fold the garbage hands when he does raise. This way it doesn't cost you anything if per say you tried to limp in and then he raises.

I want to be to his right. Acting before him gives me the advantage to take some of the steam out of his locomotive. I can assess my hand and act, thereby causing him to contemplate just a cold call rather than a raise based on the strength of his own hand. Once he shows down a couple of times post your raise and without your raise you can begin to discern what pattern if any exists.

I always like to be to the left of agressive/tight players, and to the right of weak and manical ones. That's just me though. How bout' you Bill?

Yes but you don't know if he is raising with ace,2 or pocket aces. Playing on the right of him, one would need premium hands to be able to raise and handle his raises and re-raises. This type of player causes the biggest fluctuation in your chips and bankroll. He has set in his mind that any hand can win and also likes to be in the action no matter what.

There is no "right" answer.

OK so you on his right.
Lets say he is the button, and you peek at your cards and see Js 10s.
one caller limps before you, from UTG=+3. He is going to raise, you know that.
How do you play this hand?

Bill

Hard to say. If I had a decent read on the limper and didn't detect strength in him, I may raise to make the maniac pay to see the flop (more than he planned on). My thoughts on this are, if I'm going to be at a table with a super agressive person that raises no matter what-especially if that's his stated plan-i want to act before him in an attempt to circumvent it at some points during the game with my raise. If he is raised before he gets the chance to act and looks down at shit for hole cards, he may decide not to risk re-raising me with such junk. However, if I am to act after him, and noone else at the table will raise before him, then I am forced every single time to guess if he's holding AA, or 4-5os. I want to be the one to let him know that I have the goods and if he wants to play it will cost him.

I would fold because you wouldn't be getting proper odds, also you would be cold calling his raise with that hand.

I wouldn't enter the pot on a cold call, you aren't going to get any information at all that way. A may get the limper out of the pot and leave you heads up with the maniac, who was going to raise anyway and has a better chance of a hand lower than J-10s than he does of having one higher. See the flop, and if it misses you, you only lost one bet. If you flop a flush, straight, top pair, top two, or a draw, you're sitting ok to make a probing bet.

I chose his left. I think you guys are right though. I did it because I thought it would be a better position to trap him with. He's giving his money a way, he pops it up everytime, right behind him I could wait for a hand, and then push. Aside from any dead money, he theoretically would be the only one who calls. Folks behind me should respect my raise-push isolating him. He ate enough small blinds though, that I don't know if it was worth it.
I appreciate the advice, and next time I will choose the right side of him. It was tough, I usually am the most aggressive at the table. He really through me off my game.

And no, I did not raise-push with J,10 it was just a tough hand being on the left of him.

Bill

So what did you think of the reasoning being to his right? You were in the situation, so how do you think it would have worked out for you? Advantage or disadvantage?

Too funny! I agree with Michele...another table!

Hi Bill - I played against this maniac at the Paradise Freeroll. Every single hand he raised - it was totally predictable. I was so tempted to type in ... he's raising again.

I also think he raised especially high if I went in. He was to my left so I was at a disadvantage. So I sat and just folded for a while and sure enough, he was bullying everyone around and accumulated quite a few chips. I had a great hand of A trips and wouldn't you know it - he had a flush. I knew he wasn't raising with good hands each time and this one wasn't anything either - 6/8 suited - but he lucked out and took most of my chips. I think I was on semi-tilt just wanting this joker out.

What's really funny is that I watched the guy (or gal not sure) play and when he was moved to another table and lost some chips, he tightened WAY UP! He actually folded a hand and just called LOL and didn't make it to the final winners. All those hours of play and didn't make it.... ahhh Karma!

i want him on my right, that way i can play him and my cards. Easy to trap, harder to work a hand from the other side if he reraises to high, behind him you can reraise his buff.