1. Only play with solid value preflop. Unless it's a huge fish fest and everyone is calling with anything preflop, you can't play hands like smal pairs and suited connectors because you won't be getting the odds you need. If there are consistently 5 or more to the flop, and people are also willing to stick around on later streets, then these hands can be played. When the pots are 5-way or more, you don't want to be playing marginal unsuited hands like KJ and AT. You do want to be 3-betting and capping your good suited Aces though, and probably KQs as well. Even JTs is worth a 3-bet or cap if there are going to be 7 or more to the flop.

Post flop, you need to get reads and play accordingly. Find out who is willing to gambool it up with the maniac, and who only sticks around with a strong hand. Push the gamboolers with decent hands and get out of dodge without a great hand against the others.

If you can, get a seat to the right of the maniac. Many people want a seat to the left so they have position on the worst player and can see what he will do. This is not usually correct. At typical loose low stakes tables, the maniac immediately to your left is the ideal position. The maniac is now your partner in controlling the pot post flop. When you have a great hand and want the pot as big as possible, you check, let him bet, then raise to trap everyone for 2 bets. When you want to protect your hand, you bet, he raises, and everyone is faced with calling 2 bets. Having position on the maniac is almost irrelevant because the advantage of position is information, and you already know what he is going to do most of the time ... bet or raise regardless of his hand.

Finally, do a forum search. This has been discussed many times in the limit forums.