How to Deal with Maniacs?

[PokerDev]

Playing a live tourney last night...two guys are the table were raising and betting almost every hand (and I was just about totally card dead).

I watched my stack slowly dwindle despite playing as tight as possible.

The one hand I got was two pair vs a set vs a straight. I had the 2 pair.

I watched the aggressor's chip stack grow and wanted to stop it...but felt powerless...

3-bet with air preflop?

Frustrating...

Finally busted out at about 18BB with 10 / 10 vs KJ all-in pre.

 

[puzzlefish]

Sometimes you just aren't going to win regardless of what you do. In those situations, you can just make some notes, have a good conversation with someone, and enjoy your favorite drink.

 

[ROman77]

Aggressive players rarely live up to the loot, it's not a bad style,but they need to be able to use ...to go broke before the flop with pocket 10-10 even not necessary against the aggressor, which is increasing noticeably stack..poker loves the brave and often gives them a good hand.

 

[Clowntown]

Observe and watch their tendencies. Look for weaknesses.

Do they fold to 3-bets/4-bets? Are they always c-betting? If you call the flop will they bet the turn also?

If they just never fold then all you can do is wait for a decent hand it take it to the bank!

 

[eberetta1]

All that you can hope is that every player at the table gang up on the maniac by doing all in when they get a premium hand.

 

[neiroob]

I do not know how to play with them, I rarely manage to win against them even with excellent hands, I advise you to wait only for the hand with which you give them 4 bet and hope that you can win from them.

 

[AzdajaD]

I looove maniacs - just wait for good cards and than booom, take them all...

 

[tauri103]

There are two categories: those who skillfully handle the psychological dimension of poker and those who, whatever their hands will play big to impress the table. it is very difficult to play against this type of opponent if you do not touch his cards because even with a strong hand preflop it will be difficult to force him to folder. but his aggression can also be an advantage for you, you have to manage to catch the pot he thinks he can take.

Aggressive players do not have the same conception of risk that a player says normal. They know that in a tournament the players are hooked to endure and in cash games they know that the players are attached to their money. So they play with your will to win. Starting from this observation, learn to frustrate them: do not give them your chips if you are not sure of your game, do not get into games that do not offer you real opportunities and finally, do not let them not play your fear.

Remember that an aggressive player is often a player who is afraid: he seeks to quickly build a substantial carpet and wants to have the psychological ascendancy at the table to precisely take shelter and preserve its place.

 

[bstest]

For most players, like myself, your first assumption is that they have at least a mid hand. Your second assumption is that regardless of the help they do or do not receive from the flop they will bet large again. To you this means quite a commitment, so it's hard to play anything other than premium hands. I'd say that's what you need to do, unless your tell reads are SO good that you firmly believe that you have a better hand pre-flop. My experience is that eventually those players eventually revert to trapping so beware of that as well.

 

[playinggameswithu]

Maniacs never win MTTs because they are too volatile and their stack has huge swings. Pre flop all in all hands are essentially gambles except for aces and even then they still have 20% about. Take their as,s post flop and own them with position and trap them by check to them then check raising on turn.

 

[Tommyc9494]

I struggle with maniacs myself even when I think iv got them it usually turns out they’ve actually got me but if you do take one out it’s a great feeling lol

 

[pecam]

Playing a live tourney last night...two guys are the table were raising and betting almost every hand (and I was just about totally card dead).

I watched my stack slowly dwindle despite playing as tight as possible.

The one hand I got was two pair vs a set vs a straight. I had the 2 pair.

I watched the aggressor's chip stack grow and wanted to stop it...but felt powerless...

3-bet with air preflop?

Frustrating...

Finally busted out at about 18BB with 10 / 10 vs KJ all-in pre.

It was the good idea: fold and wait for good cards to punish them. You just hadn't luck

 

[kbolding7]

If you play tournaments, there will be those tournaments where you run card dead. When that happens you just have to stay diligent and look for opportunities to make stabs and win pots.

 

[Shrops]

Trap

I try and trap the maniac player. When they put in the big bet I hammer the all-in button.