Playing against maniacs

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Ianmacca99

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How do we play against this player type? The ones who 3 bet and 4 bet often fire out pot size bets and over bets. I've found the best strategy is to tighten up v this type and when I have the goods allow them to bet and then look to raise on later streets. It can be tricky to play against and find I've often put marginal hands that I'm probably in front in the muck
 
Therminator

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Yah, thats about all you can do against absolute maniacs. Be patient and once you get that premium pocket pair, call and hope that hand doesn't get cracked.
 
k0dka

k0dka

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Against maniacs, I try to mostly play in position with strong hands - it is just so profitable. If I find they have a wide 3betting range - I 4bet more hands. Postflop, depending on the board, I stick around with marginal made hands more often.
 
Crash Burn

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In my Players Note Editor I put Maniac (Many hands Aggressive). Then it comes out when it is that type of player and I go on saying that most of the time these players are weak and I will go after them.
 
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EarnDAStack

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This is one of the things I'm actually trying to work on right now. I think depending on how aggressive they are and where they are on the table in relation to you sometimes it's just best to leave the table and try and get yourself in a better spot.

I've noticed myself playing less aggressively when I have one of these players behind me and playing more passively usually comes with a downward sloping graph for myself.

But you can't always avoid them and I agree with what you recommend in your post. I look for a good spot preflop where I'll be ahead of the maniacs range, and I'll call them down a little looser post flop with more second pairs good kicker and those type of hands while chasing draws less due to the bad price we're offered
 
makisaa

makisaa

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Patience while playing ang waiting for a good chance, to win a big pot. This type of players can be very profitable because they are very loose players.:bike:
 
vajavava

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Sometimes times this kind of players is free chips!! But I hate them bcoz somtimes they win with very bad cards..they have luck lol :)
 
k0dka

k0dka

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Sometimes times this kind of players is free chips!! But I hate them bcoz somtimes they win with very bad cards..they have luck lol :)

You have to realise their loose-aggressive style can be profitable too, even though it exposes them to more variance. A key thing to understand is how the board connects with their ranges.
 
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mrpig

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I 'm waiting for a good card and a pass from other players. Then I go All-in and close my eyes with my hands :)
 
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EarnDAStack

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I 'm waiting for a good card and a pass from other players. Then I go All-in and close my eyes with my hands :)



Can you let me know the name of the table you're at next time you play :)
 
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ToothpickVic

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Yeah, I can honestly say I struggle a bit again maniacs who actually have a little method to their madness. As much as I'd like to stop them in their tracks, I'm not sure there's a good strategy to it besides get good cards or flop well.
 
k0dka

k0dka

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Yeah, I can honestly say I struggle a bit again maniacs who actually have a little method to their madness. As much as I'd like to stop them in their tracks, I'm not sure there's a good strategy to it besides get good cards or flop well.


There isn't much more to it, really :) 3bet and 4bet a lot with good hands and shove pre-flop with the top of your range. Call more often with hands that flop well. They would be often chasing draws, fold your marginal made hands on the river, when you think they made it.
 
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freeisfun

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If you are running good it's easy to play against them. But when you are running bad it's very frustrating because you just got to wait for value hands .
 
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CaptainXL

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You used to see more of them than you do now. They can make a whole table profitable. Tighten up of course, especially if they play after you. Lean more towards betting hands and less towards drawing hands. If some of your opponents get bored and annoyed and start cold calling raises too often, think how to take advantage.
 
Joco413

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Patience is the key. Play tight and try to hold out as long as you can. Once you have the nuts punish them.
 
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Can be really frustrating. Can lose or win chips in a really fast way. Last week i was up against 1... When i finally had a good hand (full house - he beats me with higher full house.... AA he beats me w K8, KK he beats me w AJ.. all pre allin except the fullhouse) and others were beating him w A3/88 kinda hands.. it was sick and frustrating. I tilted hard after that session... He kept reloading and everybody at the table was at 3+ buyins and i was in a massive loss. But thats how it goes..... Just keep it cool and have patience... and hope you dont get coolered :)
 
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Cega13

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It is very difficult for me ... I can usually be patient for a few rounds, but not forever. I hate it when I wait until I have a good hand and lose because the maniac was lucky with some bad cards
 
A2ub3

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Always play with the strongest hand Ak, AQ, pair of 10, JJ, QQ, KK AA ans be very patient and if u loose dont be Sad u do ur Best :five:
 
AdonisPimenta

AdonisPimenta

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Patient will be first thing and try to play only in position and create some strategy to get more stacks when you see that you’re nuts.
 
Claudiunm

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How do we play against this player type? The ones who 3 bet and 4 bet often fire out pot size bets and over bets. I've found the best strategy is to tighten up v this type and when I have the goods allow them to bet and then look to raise on later streets. It can be tricky to play against and find I've often put marginal hands that I'm probably in front in the muck

If the game is Cash Game I agree with you. But if it is in a tournament (and how these maniacs get lucky in tournaments) it is a little more complicated. Either the maniac will create a strong stack or will be fattening to be eaten by another. Then we have to be more aggressive, risk more to try to break the maniac. Now if he is a supreme maniac, who keeps pushing All in all the time, soon he falls.
 
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Oxinthewater

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Maniac is probably an awkward word for this player type, because it used to describe players who are playing crazy w/o a strategy, and those who are more aggressive than a typical LAG but still decent poker players.

The first will simply self destruct given time and adjustments are fewer, but the latter is far more tricky and needs carefully dealing with.
 
Stabbi

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I hate playing against agresive players. Especially if they are after me. Sometimes i have to fold nice cards because of them. And then lets say i have nice cards and they take the flop with 7 2... lucky bastards
 
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imhereforfreerolls

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Usually any really good hand you end up doubling up, maniacs usually are ecstatic when they see someone 3-bet.
 
Akinled

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Against some maniacs you can even call down with any pair.
 
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