Pre-flop Range against Faux-maniac

[Scotch78]

He is playing 75/50 pre-flop and not just raising the top 50% of hands (he likes suited trash a lot), but pretty reasonable otherwise. He is a little too aggressive post-flop, but puts on the brakes very quickly and folds a lot more than you'd expect. I would also say that he is fairly predictable post-flop. I actually think he's better than the average fish once the flop hits.

So . . . you're sitting to his immediate left, what's your isolation range with an average lineup at the rest of the table?

Scott

[jt1]

These are tough players to play against it. After the flop, you play him like he's a very good TAG and preflop likes he's a maniac. The problem is that it takes a while to learn that that they are pretty good post flop and on top of that because they are by nature hyper aggro, they tend to spew every once in a while post flop which makes it even tougher to make good lawdowns. But I do think laying down your non-hands to his bets is key against this type of player. I 3-bet TJs and better.

[Burnsabre]

even against a 70/50, I'd still try to keep with hands that are reasonably easy to play post... something like A6o+, A5s+, KTo+, K9s, QJs, 55+. If his raise is utg and it has to dodge alot of folks, I prolly tighten up the range a bit, maybe get rid of A6o-A8o, A5s, A6s, KTo, K9s. The cold calling range of the big blind is also a factor here.

[jt1]

Have you ever played against S915 at 15/30 FTP? He's exactly like this. He'll raise 49s UTG so you can pretty much 3-bet anything playable but obviously you have to consider the folks behind you. For this reason, (and his ability to fold the flop and turns) suited connectors can be better than AX.

[Scotch78]

[ QUOTE ]
But I do think laying down your non-hands to his bets is key against this type of player.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I ended my session after this hand:

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Hero [9h 9c]
UTG calls
MP folds
CO folds
BTN raises
Faux-maniac raises
Hero raises
UTG folds
BTN calls
Faux-maniac calls
*** FLOP *** [5s Qc 2h]
Faux-maniac bets
Hero calls
BTN calls
*** TURN *** [5s Qc 2h] [4h]
Faux-maniac bets
Hero raises

His flop bet could be any pair, and deuces and fives are in his range, but he'd been checking weak pairs on the turn--and I knew it.

Scott

PS I just noticed that you live in Columbus . . . whereabouts? Are you familiar with the Rat Pack?

[jt1]

I know of the Rat Pack but have never met any of them. You live near here?

As far as your pocket nines go, I'm not sure. Unless I had a great read, I'd have raised the flop and gone from there. The type of "faux-maniacs" I've played against take advantage of their image extremely well and will value bet their small pairs to kingdom come if you let them. But I think your mistake in this hand was not raising the flop, not because you want to see if he has top pair but because you want to make btn pay or fold and it also allows you to better see if villain has that queen or not.

[Guy McSucker]

Watch out for the button in this hand.

My line would be to raise the flop, hope to get button out, then bet if maniac checks and call if he bets. No folding. If button wants to stay on the flop, well, care is required.

Guy.

[djmeehan]

My guess is this range will evolve over the course of the session. Initially if the rest of the table is slow to catch on you can 3 bet liberally, Maybe 55+, A8+, JTs+, QJo+ all hands well ahead of his range. Feel free to showdown alot. Once the rest of the table catches on to your isolating and starts cold calling more liberally you'll need to tighten up on some of the hands that play well HU but not multiway. So drop 55 and 66. Drop aces below AT. Maybe drop a hand like KJo. Once the table is sufficiaently loosened up maybe play even tighter or smoothcall with small pairs to induce va cascade of calls behind you.

[jba]

the most important things in my mind are:

- how he plays post flop. does he play well? does he see lots of showdowns?
- how are the others at the table reacting to us. stuff like A2o K9s might be in there in the beginning if he's bad but if people are capping A8s behind you, you really need to cool it.

the main point is anything with showdown value. A2>JT imo.

[Scotch78]

[ QUOTE ]
I know of the Rat Pack but have never met any of them. You live near here?

[/ QUOTE ]

I went to OSU, but moved back to Cleveland in December. My dues to the Rat Pack have probably expired now, but I was a member last year, and would've renewed if I hadn't moved. If you have any interest in home games; joining the RP is a must, they have at least one game running 5-6 nights/week and multiple games on at least three nights every week. Though they play mostly NLHE, there are some other games played, and a very wide range of stakes.

Scott