"Homegame" at my work

[Mike]

In a couple of days I will play a NL Holdem tournemnt at my job. It is a mix of maniacs and people that are pretty good. I have a pretty bad idea about how good different people are. What would be a good approach to play here? A very solid (TAG) game or try to mix up the hands? It's hard to play maniacs. Especially it's hard to keep track of how maniac different people are. Last time the CEO folded his hand on the flop, but since it was kind of half teaching mode, we let him keep the cards since there were no raises (you get the level). Then his opponent went all in on the turn. Then the CEO calls it ... nut flush.

Any hints how to approach the game would be appreciated.

[TLR]

elaborate a bit more - ring/tournament/number of people
If it is ring game play very tight, make your money off the new fish when you hit a hand, when you play a fish price the draws high, they dont know pot odds, and dont slowplay fishes, and dont bluff them.
Against the maniacs play TAG poker.

If it is a tournament a lot depends on the structure of it, because oftentimes in those kinds of tournaments the blinds go up so fast you cant really play too tight, and even if it is not a crazy blind strucutre, you want to get chips off the fish before they get knocked out, so you have to play positional agressive game

[ThelVlaster]

If you are playing against the CEO don't try to bluff, as new players usually don't know how to fold. Just play straight up poker (bet when you have it, fold when you don't) against the really bad players, and save your tricks/moves for those who know how to fold.

[Mike]

Actually I don't know about the structure. Probably there will be 2-3 10-handed tables. I don't know the blind structure, but I will go and try to sneak it up. I proabably the blinds will go up pretty fast and often which makes this sort of russian roulette.
More things I know: obviously it's nt a ring game, its a freeze out winner takes it all game. No rebuys of any kind.

[TLR]

Find out the blind strucutre, it is probably not a secret and if you ask you will be given it.
Since it is a live game with many people not aware of the game, you can assume about 4 minutes per hand.

Your game plan should be planned according to the blind structure.

If they go up very fast you cant sit tight for too long, usually you can sit out about 2 orbits, figure who is who and play only very strong hands.
Later on you have to go mainly into raise/fold mode, play your hands agressively, try to play vs 1-2 players, play good positional poker

[Warpe]

In our work tournies, hardly anyone raises preflop so I get to see a lot of flops cheap with a wide range. I let the maniacs kill each other off and I do a lot of check/calling all-ins on the flop from the wannabes with my sets and trips. Be cautious with your pairs/2 pair, slowplay your nut hands on safe boards and let em hang themselves.