Position against a maniac

[storm75m]

OK, I'm a little confused here as far as position goes...

Do I want a maniac on my right or left?
At first I though I wanted him on my right, so that I have position on him and can see what he does before I make a move. (Still think this is correct) This also gives me an advantage on every other street.

Then I just read somewhere that if he's to your left, you get to see what every one else at the table has done before making your decision. The same posts says if he's to your right, then you are the "middle-man" and might get caught in a bad situation.

So what position is better?

This situation comes up way too often, and I know has a lot of profit potential.

[Cocco_Bill]

You obviously want the maniac to act before you do, so he would be to your right

[storm75m]

You obviously want the maniac to act before you do, so he would be to your right

Thought so, thanks.

[Cocco_Bill]

yeah, just dont forget the rest of the table when you play the maniac, don't play hands you otherwise would fold for a given position.

[ensign_lee]

I want him on my left.
He's going to be raising most every hand. Limp reraise...

You'll just have to be more selective in the hands that you play.

[Bucko]

I agree with Ensign_Lee. I want the maniac on my left.

It's really nice to see how many people are calling the maniac on any given hand. I'll probably play some marginal hands if only 1 or 2 people call his raise. I get this information only if he's on my left.


Another point is that people tend to discount a maniac's raises. If I check, the maniac raises, and several call I can usually do well by completing the check-raise. Usually this can force several out even after they called the first raise.

One other thought on the maniac. I've had my worse losses with a maniac at the table. It's easy to discount his raises because they tend to be without substance. However even a blind pig sometimes finds a truffle, and even a maniac can sometimes find a set or even better. This is when I've tended to get clobbered.

[LionsFan20]

As with most answers to poker questions, my best answer is 'it depends'.

I actually want a hyper agressive player (the likes of Gus Hansen) to my left. I know he's there, and I'm not going to raise without a very premium hand, and he knows that. So a check raise becomes even more powerful in this situation. This, though, is much more the exception than the rule.

Generally speaking, as it's already been said here, you want agressive players to your right so that you can better gauge your hand vs. the raise they just made and what's in the pot.

The check raise though, is an invaluable move against agressive players. Even if they call your CR, and come out firing with a flop raise, reraise them again with a solid hand and they'll likely cut their losses and go away.