Playing Lotto Lunatics - Strategy?

I joined 888Poker yesterday because I figured that given its popularity with the masses as a casino, its Poker segment would be filled with bored drunkards and the like who are there to see every flop and check round to a made hand. My plan was to exploit this.

However it's actually a lot more difficult than I expected, because the major difference between these people and people who actually want to play Poker and preserve their bankroll is, these people are like suicide bombers; they have no fear of death whatsoever. So a whole load of strategies go down the toilet - you can't thin the field, raising PF does essentially nothing as you get instacalled by everybody in the game, you can't scare bet, represent, offer odds, nothing. Everybody plays every hand no matter what. They will limp and check wherever they can and essentially wait for a made hand.

I ended up just stopping writing notes on these people because they all play exactly the same way. Their superpower over us is that they have no fear. They're like one big terrible player who gets to see 5 hands preflop (in a 6 seater). 4 of the monster's hands will lose, but one will draw out, and you, the victim, ultimately lose out to this monstrous school of fish.

I saw one high stakes game where every hand was an all-in. Every single one. All that happens is the money gets passed around from player to player, and at first I thought 'maybe this is one guy with five accounts, waiting for the 6th victim?' But after playing a little more today, I actually think they were different people, but all with exactly the same no-fear strategy, which happens to work out zero-sum for them because everybody else has the same stupid strategy.

So I'm interested to know if anybody has cracked a strategy for this. So far I've learnt not to bother building a pot unless you pretty much know you have a made hand, because most of the time you'll be drawn out on becuse there are so many people in every hand. Check drawing hands, fold to any bets. The other players instacheck all the time so checking to them doesn't imply weakness, it implies 'I want to see every street like the rest of you until my hand is made'. But so far that's all I've got.

Any tips would be interesting to hear.

NB> I've actually only really been playing SNGs but this question applies to cash games as well and figured there'd be more discussion here.

What stakes are you playing at 888?

Very low ($1 entry to SNGs and micro stakes cash), so I know where you're coming from. But I figured there's little difference as it was so maniacal at the higher stakes as well, with every hand being all-in. Maybe I'll have a harder look at the higher stakes, but the point here is to play average Joes, not decent players. This is just to grind some money to enter the decent games!

I really dont get you?
You want everyone to play good,tight, unexploiatble poker?
You think you could make more money playing with those type of guys?

Come on.
These people are opponents everyone would wish for.
And you ask for advice how to beat that type of game? Seriously?

I mean, sorry mate, but if you cant find a way to beat that type of game by yourself - I'dont think making money on poker is something you should count on.

Well, I'm currently doing a bankroll challenge on 888. The thing with maniac players is, you've got to be comfortable playing high variance poker with them. In other words, you can't let losing affect your decisions because these players are not afraid to give their stack to you so when the time comes, that stack will be yours. Widen your range accordingly depending on your position. You need to find spots to be calling light, fast play all good made hands and slow play your monsters. You'll definitely be encountering a lot of coolers and bad beats against these type of players but you'll be winning overall in the long run. If you're playing 1-2 tables, pay more attention to their bet sizes. They may be maniacs and fishes, but i guarantee you that there'll be differences in their betting with different type of hands.

westside1950 - you are correct, you don't get me.

If you don't get me please don't go off on a spiel when you have totally misread what I wrote. I said the exact opposite of what you said. Reread what I wrote.

Frozrbyte, thanks for that, all very sound advice.

Actually one question frozr - would you play SNGs (to know your downside from the off) or would you be happy playing cash games?

Personally, I prefer cash games and it's my main game type but I do mix in SNGs every now and then. So yeah, I'd be happy just playing cash games.

Sorry mate, but I read again what you wrote.
You ask for tips and strategies how to deal with these ''lotto lunactis'' as you call them. If you already know exact way how to play them, why open thread about it?
I just said that if you can't find it on your own, you should consider about playing poker at all.

PS. If its true that players on 888 are exactly as you described them, I'm shifting there from PS and I'm playing all day long. Literally.

these are exactly the type of player you want in sit and gos. the first thing you need to remember about sit and gos is you don't need to win every hand to make money, you only need to outlast 6 other players. rather than take on these maniacs why not sit back and let them knock themselves out? you say they never fold so why bluff? keep your chips handy for when you make a good hand and make them pay to see each street.
poker is a long term game and with good bankroll management you can and will beat this level