[mrcunningham]

Were you at table 3 last nite? I suggest you read the chapter on 'wild games' in HE for Adv Players, which continues to be helpful for me when there is a maniac and the people on the table think that playing equally as loose is the proper adjustment. This seems generally to be the case in 6/12 in the Bay Area. A single maniac or even live straddler sets everyone off. In these situations it makes sense to stick to premium cards, higher pairs and suited broadway. It gets boring, but all you need is to win one $200 pot per several orbits to make it worthwhile.

The one instance where I will play looser is when I am to the left of the maniac AND the table has not become looser, in which case I 3-bet the maniac like crazy to isolate him, then do a lot of calling down.