Had this hand happen to me yesterday at the 1000NL - Tell me what you think I should do. I'm in EP with . Have about 1200, both of my opponents in this hand have me covered. Normally, I like to bring this hand in for a raise, however, I limped in this time. Here's why - there is a pseudo-maniac behind me in MP. He has a tendency to make huge all-in bluffs on the turn against raisers, and also will make huge all-ins on the flop or turn when he is the raiser. I dont want to raise with this hand and have him call behind me - he's likely to try and push me off my hand. I rather see what he does first, and just call a raise from him. The best way to get this guys money is to trap. Just check and call, he probably will go all-in at some point.

Anyway, I call, a tight EP player calls, and the maniac raises to 50. Table folds to me, I call, tight-EP calls.

Flop



I check, according to plan, but tight EP bets 100 into the 165 pot. Maniac raises to 325. What should I do? I'll post results later.

In the alternative, should I have bet the flop, instead of checking?

Thanks

D

I think you should push... what could they possibly have to beat you...? I think EP has 2 pair, who knows what the maniac has, but you have a perfectly hidden straight w/ a straight flush draw... I think at worst, they both fold and you make $600...
MVP

I think EP probably has a made hand that he'll want to protect from the draw-heavy board...he also probably knows that the maniac's raise doesn't mean a lot. I'd call the raise, really hoping and half-expecting to see EP do the reraising for me. If EP just calls, you have a bit of a dilemna if the turn pairs the board...but not really. I think if EP has a set here, he's gotta push it in on the flop after you call to protect his hand...thus if EP flat-calls and the turn does pair the board, I still don't think you can lay this down.

Just the thoughts of a guy who will NEVER be playing a $1000 buy-in game, so take it with a grain of salt, or a shot of tequila.

-TW

Smooth call no matter what either player does. You have the best hand now, maniac is likely to push at the turn. This is one of the rare cases where betting your hand isn't as good of a strategy as slowplaying the nuts, savor it you might get all the money in three ways by the turn.

The only thing I would fear here is maniac being on a bigger flush draw, but honestly I think EP is getting all his money in, as will the maniac... so you will be all in with two players and the best of it. The call is the right play. There really isn't a better position than being between two raisers holding the nuts. I hope it held up for you.

Thanks for the replies -

We seem to have a majority of flat call, with one "all-in."

I went with the minority here and chose to move all-in. EP had JJ and called, and the maniac folded KK. My straight held up, and I scooped a $2500 pot.

I was pretty sure that EP had a set and would come along if I pushed all-in, but I would lose the maniac. Which is what happened.

I thought about flat-calling, but I wasn't sure what the EP player would do when the action got back to him. I wanted him to move in, hopefully getting the maniac to come along. What I did not want to happen was for him to flat call. True, we had a maniac in the hand, but this guy was no moron - he knew I was a tight player. I wasn't going to call 325 cold without a hand that could beat AA. I was quite afraid of EP flat calling and then it checking around on the turn. Further, I did not want to hit my flush on the turn and have the action die down. Nor did I want the board to pair and be faced with a tough decision. I figured I could have a 70/30 shot at doubling up - so I took it and went all-in.

I do see the benefits of smooth calling - but I figured I would take a near-certain double -up, instead of getting tricky and taking a risk to try and triple up.

D

As it turns out your all-in netted you as much as you were gonna get. It appears as though if EP pushes, "maniac" folds. I personally have yet to meet a maniac who would lay down KK on an aceless board, so maybe this was just a LAG?

DM -

Maybe he was more of a LAG than a maniac - but I have seen him push in on the turn with A7s after calling a raise and a flop bet with top pair. He lost to AK. Seems kind of maniacal to me. He's a tough one to figure out - I've seen him make some decent laydown - yet some incredibly stupid calls and all-ins. Just incredibly aggressive - seems capable of making any play at any time. He's a tough one to figure out - but I know that trapping works very well against him, due to his tendencies to put pressure on signs of weakness, i.e repeated calling.

D

DM -

Here's an example of the plays that this guy will make - I'm playing with him right now. He is the winner of this hand.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ Hero (8 handed)

Button ($2700)
SB ($990)
Hero ($1110)
UTG ($1067)
UTG+1 ($985)
MP1 ($3083.25)
MP2 ($1003.25)
CO ($1069.75)

Preflop: Hero is BB with , . SB posts a blind of $5.
UTG calls $10, 1 fold, MP1 calls $10, 2 folds, Button raises to $100, 2 folds, UTG calls $90, MP1 folds.

Flop: ($225) , , (2 players)
UTG checks, Button bets $222, UTG raises all-in, Button calls $745.

Turn: ($1192) (2 players)

River: ($1192) (2 players)

Final Pot: $1192

Results in white below:
UTG has 6s 8s (one pair, sixes).
Button has 3d Jc (two pair, jacks and threes).
Outcome: Button wins $1192.

DM -

Just tangled with him - he'd been raising with crap and taunting the table, calling us P***y, etc..., so I'd thought I'd pull the limp-raise on him - get him to lay it down. He came along with trash, got lucky, but I caught on the river.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ BB (10 handed)

SB ($3841)
BB ($1000)
Hero ($1127)
UTG+1 ($985)
UTG+2 ($1020)
MP1 ($3008.25)
MP2 ($1891.5)
MP3 ($1041.5)
CO ($1054.75)
Button ($1233.75)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with , . SB posts a blind of $5.
Hero calls $10, 5 folds, CO calls $10, 1 fold, SB (poster) raises to $80, 1 fold, Hero raises to $250, CO folds, SB calls $165.

Flop: ($520) , , (2 players)
Hero bets $500, SB raises to $877, Hero calls $377 and is all-in.

Turn: ($2254) (2 players)

River: ($2254) (2 players)

Final Pot: $2254

Results in white below:
SB has Jd 4d (two pair, jacks and fours).
Hero has Tc Ac (flush, ace high).
Outcome: Hero wins $2254.

He just loves hitting those Jx two pair flops. Tough beat for him but he should have mucked preflop so part of me thinks he got what he deserved while the other part of me also think he got what he deserved.