The maniac (BB) is a 70/31/22 player with aggression frequency of 48% (AF 1.6) and a WTSD of 36%. He has been terrorizing the table, and I'm looking for a spot to get him.
I played this hand atrociously. In general, I play horribly against maniacs. What I'm looking for is advise about how I should think, not so much how I should play.
PartyGaming - $0.25 PL Hi (6 max) - Omaha Hi - 5 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4
CO: 167.24 BB
Hero (BTN): 113.56 BB
SB: 132.48 BB
BB: 171.04 BB
UTG: 69.4 BB
SB posts SB 0.4 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB
Pre Flop: (pot: 1.4 BB) Hero has 2♥ 2♠ T♠ T♦
UTG calls 1 BB, fold, Hero calls 1 BB, SB calls 0.6 BB, BB raises to 5 BB, fold, Hero calls 4 BB, SB calls 4 BB
I'm thinking this hand is at best borderline even on the button, but it has good set potential, which means good maniac-busting potential.
Flop: (16 BB, 3 players) 4♠ 6♣ 2♣
SB checks, BB bets 11.4 BB, Hero raises to 24.68 BB, fold, BB raises to 44.6 BB, Hero calls 19.92 BB
I know bottom set is not a good hand, and it's even a nothing hand on a straight board like this. I would fold versus a sane opponent. However, I'm not facing a sane opponent. I'm thinking his bet looks like a weak continuation bet, and I can beat a bluff or AA, so I think I've got him. I don't want to let him suck out for cheap, so I raise. He min-reraises. This surprises and concerns me, but it still seems to me that he doesn't have the straight and wants to know whether I do. I'm too far out on a limb already, so I just call.
Turn: (105.2 BB, 2 players) A♠
BB bets 99.96 BB, Hero calls 63.96 BB and is all-in
I've picked up a flush draw. Pot odds (2.6:1) may be sufficient, though the previous best case scenario, AA, has just turned into the worst case scenario. I think about it a long time and call.
River: (233.12 BB, 2 players) J♦
Spoiler
BB shows 8♣ 5♦ 4♣ 3♦ (Straight, Six High) (Pre 41%, Flop 66%, Turn 57%)
Hero mucks 2♥ 2♠ T♠ T♦ (Three of a Kind, Twos) (Pre 59%, Flop 34%, Turn 42%)
BB wins 0 BB
BB wins 221.48 BB
I do this sort of thing routinely against maniacs. I don't give them respect, they make the nuts, and they stack me. Help me. Should I try playing against maniacs as if they are pros who raised without looking at their cards preflop? That is, should I generally respect the bets of maniacs and give them credit for having whichever two cards make the nuts? Should the river be the only place to make a stand against a maniac, since there you're finally getting 2:1 odds to catch a bluff?
See also my post Playing against maniacs over in the general Omaha forum.
