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A brief adaptation to play against "maniacs"

A brief adaptation to play against
A basic and simple strategy on adaptation against maniacs.
by Academia   |   comments 0
Sunday, May 17 2020

With some frequency, we will come across tables against players who play all hands, raise excessively, 3beting and 4beting with high frequency, squeeze, in short, they are always making aggressive and crazy moves, putting pressure on the other opponents.

For beginners or inexperienced players, it can be a real headache to face this type of opponent. However, it is very easy to adapt and face this type of player. In fact, you want to have maniacs at the table, who play a lot more hands than they should, give action to all players, including the winners and, the main course, the vast majority of these players leave a lot of money on the tables.

Initially, we must keep in mind that when facing frequently this type of villain, we can increase the variance in our game. After all, we will play a lot more big and inflated pots, as well, because they play a wide range, being a little more difficult to define your possible range.

The basic strategy that I advise is very simple: play more tight, select your pre-flop hands better, as we will be more at showdown, always try to be in position, as we will be under constant pressure, and be prepared to make several light calls. Keep in mind that you need to make hero calls against this type of opponent, since they will always be testing us. Another valuable tip is that these are the perfect opponents to slowplay, letting them create the pot for us, after all, it is in their nature to bet and raise. So, let them do the job. Note that this position makes life easier when playing against aggressive and manic players, since we have a lot more information about the unfolding of the hand, facilitating our reading and delimiting the possible range.

It is also important not to be afraid to play big pots against them. Keep in mind range dominance and the belief that the long term puts everything in its place. We will certainly lose big pots against them, but with the conviction that we are doing the right thing, the rest is silly. Never forget: never rely on results, but on making the best decision in the long run.

Don't be afraid to make big and difficult calls to these opponents. Believe me: most of the time, your top pair or second pair will be enough to take the pot, obviously taking into account the texture of the board and the unfolding of the hand.

Finally, know that from these opponents, most likely, will come your biggest profits. So don't be afraid to show them who's boss!

Daniel Dornelles