2 hands vs. super LAG/Maniac

[reddred]

$1/$2 NL at Ballys/LV this weekend. Backround: Been at the table for about 3 hours with this one guy in a 10 handed game. He's very loose and aggressive, playing easily half his hands or more, and open raising all his hands to $20-$30......always continues betting on flop for another $35-40 when checked to on flop. Bets draws aggressively as well, etc, etc. His stack was around $4-500 when i doubled thru him with trips. We've kinda been going at it with each other...not getting personal....but just seeming to wind up battling for a lot of pots. After I douible thru him, tho, I can tell he's trying to get it back from me because he cold calls every open raise I make. Incidently, he also mentions in conversation, that he got clobbered for $3000+ at 2/5 at belagio night before, so I think he doesn't respect the stakes at $1-2.

Hand #1: Villian($200) limps from early position. Hero ($400) open raises from middle position with A [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]J [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] to $15. 1 call LP, blinds fold, villian calls.

Flop: 4 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]J [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]2 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]
Villian checks, Hero bets $35, LP folds, Villian check raises to $70. Hero ?.




Hand #2: EP limps, MP limps, Villian($500) on the button limps, SB completes, hero($250) in BB checks with 4 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]4 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

Flop: Q [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]4 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]7 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]

SB checks, Hero checks, checks around.

Turn: A [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

SB checks, Hero checks, check,check, Villian makes it $20 to go. SB folds Hero raises to $50. Fold, Fold, Villian calls.

River: 6 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

Hero bets $60, Villian makes it $160 to go. Hero?


Thanks for your input guys.

[JDLade]

Hand 1:
well his range probably includes a heart draw, weaker Jack, combo of those two, or a set. Probably not AA-QQ due to limp/call. ...So you're pretty clearly ahead, I'd say.
I'd say call, hes probably raising or pushing a pretty wide range on the turn, almost all of which you're ahead of. If you 3bet on the flop, you lose more value in future bets than you're protecting, since he isn't calling with hearts or a weak jack.

hand 2:
Why check a set in a live game? Deception? not neccesary, especially against multiple opponents. You need to build this pot, starting on the flop.
On the turn, again, bet. Check raising when an ace falls says "I have the ace, probably more", betting when the ace falls will get a call from weaker aces than check raising, and all of the possible two pairs are just going to raise you, which is much better than you check raising them. Also, you risk letting all the inside straight draws hit if it checks around.
As played, I don't see what hand hes holding that you're behind besides an overset, but you really can't fold to that possibility at this point. Push.
[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

[toffer]

Hand 1:

I think the Villain is pretty much committed here (he's getting better than 2:1 to call a flop push), so I see no reason to wait until the turn. You're solidly ahead of his range--push over his check-raise.

Hand 2:

I don't like the slowplay. I think you're better off leading the flop against so many players. As for the river as played, again, I would push. I think Villain will have Aces up an awful lot here.

[reddred]

[ QUOTE ]
Hand 1:
well his range probably includes a heart draw, weaker Jack, combo of those two, or a set. Probably not AA-QQ due to limp/call. ...So you're pretty clearly ahead, I'd say.
I'd say call, hes probably raising or pushing a pretty wide range on the turn, almost all of which you're ahead of. If you 3bet on the flop, you lose more value in future bets than you're protecting, since he isn't calling with hearts or a weak jack.

hand 2:
Why check a set in a live game? Deception? not neccesary, especially against multiple opponents. You need to build this pot, starting on the flop.
On the turn, again, bet. Check raising when an ace falls says "I have the ace, probably more", betting when the ace falls will get a call from weaker aces than check raising, and all of the possible two pairs are just going to raise you, which is much better than you check raising them. Also, you risk letting all the inside straight draws hit if it checks around.
As played, I don't see what hand hes holding that you're behind besides an overset, but you really can't fold to that possibility at this point. Push.
[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

JD...thanks for your input. In hand 1, tho, I really don't like the call. I have no idea where I stand, and unless I pair my A or J on turn, he's gonna stick another pot sized bet into me and I'm faced with the same dilema. I feel this is a raise or fold situation, and I can't (and didn't) see folding such a strong hand. Plus if he was on the flush draw, what am I gonna do, let him take the lead and dictate the price for his flush? Seems weak to me....

Hand 2: I know, I know...this is where slow playing sets hoses you. I am not usually the slow-set-playing type. But with no str8's or flushes aboard, I was hoping to check raise a queen, but really with aggro boy on the button, i just didn't see him checking thru from the button on the flop. When he did and the A hit the turn, I shoulda bet out, but checked like a [censored], hoping the A hit someone. He did on the turn what I thought he'd do on the flop from the button, stick a bet in there and try to pick up the pot. When he called my raise and raised me on the river, i put him squarely on 2 pr (A6).

[JDLade]

Waiting until the turn maximizes value against TJ-KJ, which, despite getting better than 2:1, would definately have to fold here to a 3bet.
OP- I don't think you have a dilemma here at all, his "super LAG/Maniac" style should make you willing to lose your money against a set if he shows one. I don't see what else there is to be afraid of. Again, preventing the small chance he catches on the turn isn't worth the losing the value you get when he doesn't catch, because hes so likely to lead out on a non-helpful turn.
[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

[reddred]

[ QUOTE ]
Waiting until the turn maximizes value against TJ-KJ, which, despite getting better than 2:1, would definately have to fold here to a 3bet.
OP- I don't think you have a dilemma here at all, his "super LAG/Maniac" style should make you willing to lose your money against a set if he shows one. I don't see what else there is to be afraid of. Again, preventing the small chance he catches on the turn isn't worth the losing the value you get when he doesn't catch, because hes so likely to lead out on a non-helpful turn.
[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

I see what your saying. Your assuming I have the best hand here 90% of the time, and the call is just to maximize profit when he leads turn w/ a bet.

[reddred]

Well, In both hand 1 and hand 2, I reraised all in.

In hand 1 Villian limped and called my raise w/ J4s, flopped 2 pr and doubled thru me when my AJ didn't improve. I'm questioning if i could have played the hand better by reraising another $35 instead of all in. Then if he raises me again, I have more info on strength of his hand, and another chance to throw away TPTK while preserving remainder of my stack. I did put him on J10, JQ, and thought he might call for his stack w/ that.

Hand #2 completely blindsided me. When he raised me on the river, I couldn't get my money in fast enough. Basically, he was bluffing on the turn w/ 85o, and for some dumb reason, didn't fold to my check-raise on the turn, caught his inside str8 on the river, and stacked me. Again, I could have taken down a $10 pot with my set if I bet the flop, but was so not scared of the board, that I was trying to get some action for my set. I really thought he had aces up, or 2 pr. As played, this just seemed like one of those hands your gonna get stacked on.

Any other input on how I played these 2 hands, or points of view I didn't see would be appreciated.

[ImsaKidd]

Felt hand 1 ez.

Bet turn on hand 2. I can see going for a CR on flop, then you dodnt get it, bet out, and hope he raises with an A/2 pair, then you can push.

[drewvy]

the first hand i think it would depend what you knew about his min raises...if you've seen alot,..he's could have a hand like KJ...the second hand lets get it in...like you said he's always open raising etc...if he slowplayed and limped in QQ or AA your gonna get stacked...I probably take some time and push and hope he has AQ

[drewvy]

if he's gonna play hand number 2 that way then you should stick around and stop playing so tricky..get a hand with some value and make him pay