playing a maniac

Playing with maniacs at your table can be both a good and a bad thing. Regardless of whether you are at a live table, or playing online poker on the internet, you must realize that there are certain "rules" required to play with a "madman" as some people like to call them.

A maniac, for purposes of this article, is a player who has no respect for real poker hands, nor for his bankroll, or yours. They are probably playing at a level of play that makes any losses seem minor to them. They like to use intimidation and aggressiveness as a means to get other players off their game. They are capable of playing any two cards as a starting hand.

Let's start with live games. In a live game this type of player may even use taunts verbally to throw you off emotionally. Ignore them! Online, on an internet poker site, they might even use the chat window to make comments. My first rule is to turn off the chat window. Especially online, people tend to hide behind the mask of being anonymous to even say crueler than normal comments. Racial, ethic and sexual comments abound. You cannot, as I like to say, "Get in a battle of wits with an unarmed man.... "

You must stay in control. The last thing you need to do is get emotionally irritated as it will affect your game negatively. You have to be the one in control. Everyone around you will be chasing the "idiot " who plays every hand, bets every flop, and often raises anyone that bets into them. You will find yourself playing weaker hands than you know is correct. Your justification will be that "he" is playing crap, and that you are still playing better hands than him most of the time. The exact opposite way of thinking is necessary. You must tighten your game down even more.

First rule. You should try and sit to the left of the maniac. Sit as closely behind him as possible. You want to be able to determine your action based on his or her action. This may not always be possible, but move as soon as it is. If you are in front, especially immediately in front, of the maniac, you will be subject to their constant raising without any control. Also, if you check a hand into them, and the maniac bets, others behind them will raise him because of his erratic style of play. This will cause you to have to put in two bets to call.

This brings up another point. Do not play in a game with a maniac if your bankroll is low. If you have a short temper, or are the type of player that gets easily irritated by bad players, get out of the game. DO NOT CHASE A MANIAC. They can destroy both your state of mind and your chip stack. Your goal is to win money, not to beat the moronic play of such a madman.

On the occasions I have found myself chasing such a player, he inevitably either has a real hand, or makes that miracle catch on the last card to beat me. Ever happened to you? Then you watch this same player distribute his chips to the rest of the players (your chips you lost to him), and go busted before you have a chance to get some chips back from him.

I most often play online at Fulltilt. This site offers a way to make notes on players. I highly suggest you use such a feature when it is available. If you are playing good poker, you will have plenty of time when not in a hand to make such notes. With thousands of new players coming online, you can't be expected to know their every trait. In live games you have the advantage of a face that you can distinctly remember. Online you only have what's known as an "avatar " or character.

Thus far, we have learned how to emotionally play the maniac. Let us now get down to some of the options of how to actually play certain hands. Remember, expect to have to put more money in the pot when you play against an aggressive player. That is why it is important that you don't draw to weak hands. Hands which I don't consider playable anyway, like a king or queen suited with a small card, will become a real temptation. Don't try trapping a bad player with a bad hand. You will quickly become the hunted, rather than the hunter.

Don't get too "cute" with your play against a bad aggressive player. They pay little or no attention. Often at online poker sites, they are playing in multiple games and have no idea of how the action is going until they are "beeped" by the software telling them it is their turn to act. If you really have "the nuts " (the best hand), then you might consider check-raising, but only if you are sure someone behind you will start the betting. Personally, I bet it out hoping to trap other players chasing the maniac. Often the maniac will now throw in a raise to try and steal the pot from you.

When you have strong starting hands, like AK or AA or KK, and the maniac raises, don't be afraid to make it three bets by re-raising him. You want to narrow the field with those hands. That is the main reason to try and sit directly after the maniac in a game. Occasionally, especially in low-limit games, a player will still come in behind you with a three-bet call. This is the reason you only want to play quality hands. In case you get caught in one of those hands where it gets capped (maximum bets) before the flop, you want to have the confidence that you are at least drawing to a high-quality hand.

As some of my final remarks on how to play a maniac, don't forget there are other players in the hand. They can make a hand too. Also remember that a maniac gets the same good hands that other players get. He CAN have a quality hand. When the maniac gets a hand like AA, they can destroy a pot, and your chip stack, if you don't give him credit for a possible winner. It's a patience game with a maniac. You must wait like a hunter. Let the prey come to you! Set the trap and hope they don't make a miracle on the river. If you do lose a big pot to the maniac, take a break. Go outside and have a cigarette if you smoke. It's a lot healthier than the stress building up inside you, and a lot healthier than what might happen to your chip stack if you decide, "I'm gonna get that son of a b...... "

There will be other hands, other days, and more importantly, other maniacs. There is an unlimited supply of bad players. The onset of all the poker shows on television, editing out many of the losing players and their bad plays, has created an image that "any two cards can win". While that is true, it is not the common occurrence. Play good hands. Play in control. Play to win money, not to beat a specific player.

Good luck and good rivers to you