Hey Guys,

This was at a $25NL game, I had $35, EP had $12, and LP had $17


Now, these 2 guys have been raising anywhere from $2 - $4 every 3rd hand or so. They shown hands like A9,KQo,KT,JT, and are calling raises with any two suited cards.

I get dealt [Jh] on BTN

EP makes it $2, LP makes it $5 and i go ALL-IN over the top. I realize this is a high variance move and was curious if u guys like it or not in a situation similar to this.

I flopped a J, but unfortunatley EP had AA and rivered one!!

I just have a hard time dealing w/ maniac, what do i do?

that is an interesting spot. have you ever seen them reraise? i think that is my primary question b/c 1) LP may have a real hand; 2) i question how much fold equity you have b/c obviously, w/ JJ, you really don't want to get called.

i am inclined to say wait for a better spot. JJ isn't strong enough to play a big pot like this against 2 players to a reraise, when the reraiser has a 2/3 stack. most likely you will just end up coin-flipping. if LP hadn't reraised or had just called, i think it would've been perfect.

I am most likely just going to call the $5 raise and hope for a jack. I personally would not go all in preflop with Jacks in a cash game.

Since you caught your jack our end result would have been the same.

As for the maniacs at your table, I usually do one of the following:

A) Leave. If this guy is throwing you off your game and making you do silly things, just leave.

B) Stay, tighten up, and call his raises with hands that can break him in position only. If I hit a hand, depending on the draws out there I just let him do the betting for me. Give him some rope and he will hang himself, they always do.

It all depends on my mood, sometimes (usually when I am running bad) I just don't feel like playing at a table with a maniac. Other times I like to stick around and see if he spews any chips my way.

You definitely have to be ready to handle a few more swings at these tables though.

I agree with layne. You can't call preflop as they don't have enough money in front of them to chase a set and with their stacks, you would end up being committed for the most part AND you don't close the action. It is very important if you have seen the reraise before or just raise. I fold because i don't see them both folding and you are at best in a coinflip so all in is definitely gambling.

I agree with most that has been said.

Also note, that my going all-in you sacrifice your position. By being on the BTN you will always act after them so it is better to just call and see what happens. However, with the jack hitting on the flop you are likely dead anyway.

Yup, with the size of the pot and what i had left, that J on the flop it was all goin in. So either way i was doomed. Unless i made the right play and folded after the re-raise.

Easy fold preflop. Lots of reasons to fold:

-Just because someone raises a lot doesn't mean they re-raise with junk.
-You don't have odds to draw to a set
-You don't close the action
-You're either a small favorite or a big dog (if you get called)
-You have nothing invested, folding is free, playing costs money
-JJ sucks