Playing poker with a maniac can be a stressful proposition-you never know what hand he might be holding. I’ve been driven crazy by poker players who’ve made me fold the best hand by going all in pre-flop without even looking at their cards, or by players who would call my raise with pocket Kings, only to make two pair with their 5-7 hole cards.
The key to beating these poker players is to get them one-on-one. Playing heads up against a very loose player increases your odds of winning and helps you to focus your attention on just one player at a time. If you’ve got a medium to high pair and a player that you know is loose raises you, try re-raising him. It will get him to rethink his hand, and even if he calls, it should get the other players out of your way so you can concentrate n beating him.
Loose calls like this can be frustrating, but remember that these players are willing to play lousy cards. If you think that your hand will hold out against whatever the maniac who raised you has, call and see if the flop hits you. His 5-2 can’t win every time.
