Playing Short Handed with 3 Maniacs

[Zybomb]

Blinds are fairly high, so it is no time to sit back and wait for premium hands. The tournament is down to 4 handed with roughly even stacks. I am sitting at a table with 3 maniacs though.

I swear everytime I'd raise with a hand like J10s I'd be reraised all in.

Pots were always being opened (and strongly) and all three players seemed to play back at you whenever you did anything.

Sitting tight wasnt working as I wasnt catching the big cards.

It got so bad I had 9 10 on a Q 9 4 rainbow flop. When the guy checked I bet and he moved in I insta called (he had a 4)

I raise with AQ get a caller, flop comes 2 3 7 , i bet he raises as always I decide to push, he has 10 7o

When you dont have time to sit and wait for premium hands, how do you play short handed against a table that has 3 players who are raising every pot, calling if you reraise and then playing the flop strong? I was getting bullied all night.

[eejit101]

luck is a big factor here, just wait as long as you can, push with the best hand you can find, if that doesnt work, play like them, go it with anything, get lucky, or lose, not much else you can do if theres no time

[Aequitas58]

You mentioned that they're maniacs... they sound like good players to me if you were getting bullied all night! Seriously: you say they were routinely playing the flop strong ... is that only when they hit the flop? This answer alone will dictate how you play them. If they are ALWAYS strong post-flop, pick a hand that hits the flop and push. If you miss, fold and wait for your opportunity.

Down to 4 maniacs / fast players: Stick to the basics. I would say that since they are playing loose, you should tighten up... but since the blinds are so high, you're forced to play:

First, when playing PF, put your opponent on a range of hands. If you simply can't do this because they are so unpredictable, then find a hand and push w/ it. Here, I would go w/ any Ace, any K7/8+, Q9+, or any PP. Don't CALL all your chips in, unless you have a good hand. Don't CALL all your chips in pre-flop with anything speculative, unless you have a read that he's playing aggro w/ 35o.

Second, I would try to see cheap flops. It sounds like this group of friends like to get into dick-swinging pre-flop raising wars (why wasn't I invited? LOL), so an UTG / Button limp might just let you see a cheap flop.

No cheap flops? Then you know how to play anything premium. Limp! You know where to go from there.

HTH,

[Talking Poker]

This is very bad advice.

[Zybomb]

lol -- agreed

(so where's the good advice then?)

(not takin away from Aeq's post -- a very good response btw)

[Talking Poker]

This is a tough situation, and I think it really depends opn your stack in relation to the blinds. Ideally, you want to play slow against fast players - be patient and pound on them when you have the goods (or let them dig their own graves).

Once you get too short for this though, I think it's a matter of turning the tables. YOU need to be the aggressor. Make THEM call all in if they want to play with you (this take aways their biggest weapon, which is raising and making you fold). If you do manage to see a cheap flop, it's ok to go with a less than premium hand , especially if YOU are able to be the aggressor. I think that's the key.

(I realize Aeq said some of this, but I'm restating it in my own words).

DO NOT get flustered and decide to try to "get lucky" be calling all in with Js4s and hoping to make a flush.

[Zybomb]

Good advice on the rest of the post as well. I still had a playable stack (13-14 BBs) so I didnt have to push, but only 4 handed with so much preflop aggression and raises being contested so often, the blinds get around fast.

[Zybomb]

The main issue was I was trying to stay patient, but I wasnt getting premium hands. I was getting the occassional J10s, Q10, Kxs, 44, etc... but like I said I still had 13-14 or so BBs in my stack. With this many chips Do I push with hands like these? I could try and open but my open was reraised on average 1 out of every 2 times.

These players were also players who called a CB flop bets with nothing, just attempting to steal the pot on a later street (or get lucky and catch).

Thats great if you are hitting the flop, the issue was in general, I wasnt.

Frustrating night, 3rd place finish, no cash