6-handed, blinds $0.50/1.00. (Yes, this is very deep stacked - we both bought in for only 100BB though.)

MP: Hero $300/300BB - Table image; There is no question. I am the nittiest guy on the table. I played maybe four hands throughout the night and showed a set of ducks, AK, ATo, etc. There were some pots stolen from me, but typically I lose the minimum when I get bluffed out; win the maximum when I'm ahead. I'm also not the best or most experienced player at the table, I just tend to win against the worse players. Estimated VPIP? Maybe 9? Maybe a PFR of 6? I was a little card-deader than usual to get that extreme, but I was fine with that.

CO: Villian $600+ behind (he had a set vs. top two pair, nut flush, and 2nd nut flush and won a four-way all-in when he quadded up on the river, which is why he had $600...) Even though he was playing reasonable up till that point, he called despite not having the odds to call, and then played like a maniac, including 3-betting preflop without looking at cards. He has a bit of experience, and is a better player than he lets on. Even so, he's been hit in the head with the deck - he would flop straights, flop sets, flop flushes - with the most incredible garbage.


Hero has AJ

Big & Small Blinds post $1.50

UTG folds, Hero raises to $4, CO 3-bets to $10 without looking at his cards, Button folds, SB folds, BB folds, Hero calls $6.

Flop ($21.50) J76

Hero bets $16. CO calls $16.

Turn ($53.5) J762

Hero checks, CO bets $25, Hero calls $25.

River ($103.5) J7627

Hero checks, CO bets $550 and is all-in.

Hero would need to call $250 to win a $600 pot.

Hero???

Bet turn. I dont understand why you bet flop if your not betting a blank on the turn. Preflop if your positive he didnt look then you have to 4bet. I think your better off just folding that hand pre if your not capable of playing it oop. As played you have to fold he turned his hand into a bluff because he knows you wont call without the nutz.

4 bet pre if you know he didn't look. Bet the turn for value. As played fold river.

If villain truly hasn't looked at his cards, I'd probably reraise again preflop, although I certainly understand not wanting to build an unmanageable pot OOP vs a maniac. Maybe the smoothcall is ok?

I probably just check the flop because this is a great flop for maniac to raise, and again starts building an unmanageable pot OOP. I probably tend to just become a calling station here and let him bluff off a reasonable amount of chips.

Good maniacs capitalize on their crazy image by getting decent players who are tired of being pushed around to stack off for crazy bet sizes on their monsters. That kinda looks like what is going on here. I fold the river and wait for a better spot.

GcluelessNLnoobG

I am dismayed that you didn't 4bet it.

I think leading the flop is bad, he will fold everything in his range that is total trash, and continue with any decent clubs, and most pairs, etc. Then he can own us on most turns and rivers, it lets him play well.

+1 to 4-bet pre, +1 to bet turn
AP, fold river. You only have a bluff catcher, and while his bluff range is wide, so is his flush, boat and trips range.

Neither choice is perfect. Check and let villain get a free card. Bet to get value from draws and worse made hands and end up building a pot oop vs an aggressive opponent when you are not committed. Since he is aggressive bet/fold is a bad line as alot of his continuing range raises either flop or turn. As others pointed out, your mistake was to enter a high-SPR pot oop against a tough opponent. You want single-digit SPRs. A 4-bet to $30 preflop would have done the job.

As played, between two imperfect choices protecting your stack deep >> protecting a small pot.

at what point does V look at his cards? ott?

there's no question he could be bluffing. you are unlikely to hold trip 7s or a flush, and he is impossible to range. he knows this.

but he also knows you are a nit and were strong enough to call turn for a reasonable amount.

it's a fold. V is too often holding trips or better.

4-bet pre, b/f flop and most important...bet turn.

I don't understand why you never 4bet p/f as played call the river is easy line imo. if he has you beat reload and move on.

This.

Well, if I 4-bet preflop, the next thing he'll do is look at his cards, call better, and fold worse.

disagree.. if hes the type to so obviously 3bet blind, hes not really gonna be so quick to fold the hand he thinks hes playing so cleverly