In the past couple of days there have been several posts about small pairs and implied odds when calling raises, in which I've mentioned the special case of big raisers. I've lumped the 7x raisers into a couple of categories, and am posting them here for discussion on maybe some the better tactics to use for each.

Super Yahoo!
This guy likes making it 7x with very vulnerable hands, and attempting to steal on the flop he doesn't want a call, and doesn't seem to exercise these raises with rhyme or reason to position. He is a bad LAG and generally telegraphs his handstrength with reverse betting, strong means weak and weak means strong. I don't mind sitting on either side of this guy, on his right I can be sure no one re-raises to isolate, on the left I can re-raise myself, post flop i would rather be able to check raise from his right and make sure that no one else is showing interest in this pot. I kind of think 77 and better with TT and up being re-raising hands is best. I would rather not reraise big aces but smooth call take a flop and see what happens. If I am re-raising AK/AQ it is most likely all in due to his current stack size being 25%-50% a normal buy in. TPGK is good enough and even middle pair or PP that normally would be mucked to the board when you are heads up against him are very likely to be good.

Good LAG that is fond of over raising.
The Good LAG is a pickle because he doesn't have the same flaw as a Super Yahoo! as he raises them all big. It is harder to tell where you are at in the hand unless he has post-flop give aways. These guys are so aggressive that I prefer sitting to their left quietly folding waiting for a hand to call the raise with either a pocket pair, or a less desirable suited connector. I generally don't re-raise them preflop wtih AA or KK, as I want their continuation bets to keep streaming in. If I catch a set I like sitting on their left even more so that I can make sure no street goes unbet and don't get tricky and let the turn go unbet, or can protect my good hand from a draw more easily. I'm never sure what is good enough to call them down, the ones that go really ape with nothing post flop I tend to call down with TPGK and definetly two pair, the ones that make reasonable bets with good hands and bad with no difference between the two I clam up a little and play more passively just call them down with out a monster. Those types are making the bet i would make anyways, no reason to get cute when they could be holding anything and I have a one pair hand.

Scared Squeezer
This guy bets JJ/QQ big, if he has some stack sometimes AK TT/99 too. He almost always 5x raises AA or KK, might only 3x raise AK/AQ/AJ regardless of limpers and position. He is a tight player that is just learning to be aggressive and doesn't want to take on a big field. Most of these guys are unable to lay down preflop to big pairs or when they have a pair. I don't care what side of them I sit, they will make huge errors for their stack if I lead or raise all in. I re-raise QQ and up all in preflop, smooth call with AK AQ and JJ-22. I don't like playing a suited connector against them, the draw on the flop is going to be too expensive and I don't want to gamble that much unless they are short or I am really deep.

Unafraid Squeezer
This guy has AA or KK and that is it. He would raise up JJ/TT AK AQ 5x and he has a monster now. Play standard implied odds but you can lower them a little because he is going to go broke if you hit your set. I would only re-raise AA preflop and then I'm pushing. I don't care which side I set on because he isn't raising all the time. Unless you are wanting to gamble suited connectors are going to be tough to play as you will be seeing all in on the flop often from these guys.

Can you guys think of any more standard you see these big raise opponents often, or better ways to counter their style?

Another category of 7x+ raiser is "guy with a big stack who has a sense that it's important to protect it preflop." If a guy has more than say 1.5 buy-ins, a 7x raise looks normal to me with AA/KK/QQ/JJ/AK.

Another category of 7x+ raiser is "guy who's paying attention and seeing that 7x and 8x and even 10x raises are getting called at this table."

I fit into both of those categories at one time or another.