Cash Game - when someone else takes charge?
I am a very aggressiive player. Typiically the most aggressive at the table, bordering on maniacal
But what happens when someone else sits takes control of a table?
I was faced with that recentlty at a NL Cash game. I was in control of the table and doing well then a wildcard sat to my right. I was not the first on into pots anymore, he was WAY out of line rasing 10% stacks (the blinds really didnt matter anymore) on J6s etc. He would bet his flush/straight draws and got lucky alot, hitting on the river many times for his flush draw or str draw.
- Hand value was difficult to tell, as he would call reraises 70% of the time, or would reraise
- pretty much a maniac that had a good understanding of the game and was on a lucky streak
That being said, do you just tighten up?
- My starting hand value went up (I started to play tighter) as his ability to fold was very limited
- I typically started reraising his raises with A-T, Mid Pairs, etc and coming in under him with hands of real power (rope a dope)
I did ok, but I think I could have gotten his whole stack and minimized my losses to him on a couple of pots (although I could have taken his once or twice)
- having to bet out a set because both a flush and str draw on board, over betting with top pair minimizing my risk, yet not extracting enough chips from him
what other technicques can you employ against an oiver aggressive solid player?
But what happens when someone else sits takes control of a table?
I was faced with that recentlty at a NL Cash game. I was in control of the table and doing well then a wildcard sat to my right. I was not the first on into pots anymore, he was WAY out of line rasing 10% stacks (the blinds really didnt matter anymore) on J6s etc. He would bet his flush/straight draws and got lucky alot, hitting on the river many times for his flush draw or str draw.
- Hand value was difficult to tell, as he would call reraises 70% of the time, or would reraise
- pretty much a maniac that had a good understanding of the game and was on a lucky streak
That being said, do you just tighten up?
- My starting hand value went up (I started to play tighter) as his ability to fold was very limited
- I typically started reraising his raises with A-T, Mid Pairs, etc and coming in under him with hands of real power (rope a dope)
I did ok, but I think I could have gotten his whole stack and minimized my losses to him on a couple of pots (although I could have taken his once or twice)
- having to bet out a set because both a flush and str draw on board, over betting with top pair minimizing my risk, yet not extracting enough chips from him
what other technicques can you employ against an oiver aggressive solid player?
Comments
Great question. This is definitely part of my game that is lacking. I'm interested to hear how the others respond.
For sure I tighten up and try to punish the player when I have a good hand. Unfortunately that often corresponds with the times my opponent has a better hand. And then my perceptive opponent usually picks up on my good hands and only stays around when he has something that has a chance to beat me. How do I know when to push things?
I like to be the maniac at the table and if there is another maniac I want there to be only one at the table thank you very much...
While I wait for a good hand to pounce on the maniac.
I do the opposite of handle the maniac....
I wait for another player to play "Sheriff" and let the maniac push the Sheriff into me....
If the Sheriff has read Doyle and, "Takes a stand on any two cards"....
You can imagine the pain at that level.
I generally have difficulty getting reads off of people, and focus more on the way they bet, but i've found that with this type of player is that when they play that way, they are often vocal during their play and can be very expressive. Since the player is aggressive in betting/raising with anything it will be difficult to gain any reads by how the player is betting, so instead try to concentrate on the player himself/herself. They'll be out there raiising with J6 and KK the same way, but when they have that KK they'll be thinking more about the hand and how it will play out. Often when the really good cards come around the player will quiet down a bit, think about the raise a little more before doing it, etc.
This may help you determine when they're raising with good cards and you should lay it down, and when they're raising with the typical crap and you need to go well over the top.
Just my thoughts.
If he's that crazy, and it sounds like he's *that* crazy... you simply tighten up and wait for cards. It's a cash game so there's no rush. When you get a solid value (or if you think you have the best hand preflop), reraise and isolate him.
Keep in mind, your variance will, of course, be high.. but you want to play big pots in position vs players like this.
Ryan
Isolation raises are tricky, though, since to a savvy player your attempt to isolate will be totally transparent. Then, they will be tempted to loosen up their requirements to call, etc.