Villain is the biggest fish that the poker world has ever seen. My impression is that he's just trying to lose his buy in as fast as possible. He's opened the last 7 pots pre to 20bb including calling a 100bb shove pre with 25o and calling a river check-raise with K7 on a K Q J 10 4 runout. So far he's been overbetting every flop and firing 3 barrels with most hands.

Folds to Villain in MP who opens to 45. Hero is on the button with 9s9c. (Effective stacks are 650). Hero calls and the big blind calls.

Flop 8h 5h 5s. Villain bets 80. Hero calls. big blind folds.

Turn 7c. Villain bets 250. Hero goes all in for 525. Villain calls.

What are some tips for playing against such aggro maniacs? Also what mistakes did I make in the hand (3-bet pre is really really obvious now that I think about it) and how do I play against such villains in general? (On the turn shove I was trying to get value from an 8 or just a bare 6 which I'm pretty sure he's calling with there)

Just 3bet him big pre obviously. Even against a 50% range we are 64% favorites. I'd make it something like 200. Postflop looks good.

As for playing against aggro maniacs : All semblance of pot control generally flies out the window, especially with this guy making huge raises preflop and firing all the time. Every pot being big puts lots of players in uncomfortable situations, especially if this is the "smallest" live NL game available. This guy is making it play more like a short stacked 5/T game. Lots of people "adjust" by just waiting for that one big preflop hand or one great flop, and while that may be the most comfortable way for many to play this, it is not the most profitable. Get in there with hands you usually wouldn't think of calling big raises with. Stuff like K8s, QTo has a lot of value when they make a pair against someone whose range is literally any two. When you catch a piece of the board, call him down pretty much no matter what. Don't raise him and give him a chance to fold out the plethora of hands he will bluff with.

Super weird spot preflop. I mean, we can't commit big $650 stacks with 99 (or can we?). And yet at the same time we're going to hate most flops and can't stomach calling down for $650 stacks (right?). If we're comfortable committing huge $650 stacks with 99, I'd start doing that preflop by 3betting (possibly even flat out shoving). But otherwise I think I actually just fold, although that seems wrong.

Obviously the flop/turn we're super awesome (this is about the best flop/turn we can get that doesn't contain a 9), so it makes our life super easy (the only question being do we shove to protect or just flat to bait). The problem is that the majority of these flops/turns will be far uglier.

The biggest single issue *by far* you'll have to overcome at a table with a true maniac is that you'll likely have to get in some huge $$$ in very mediocre spots and you'll have to be able to stomach the mental swings (such as when you ship it preflop and run into TT+, or when you run into 73 and he gets there). The mental swings at this table are *crushing* and not to be ignored. Once I double up to this stack depth I typically think of moving to a different table. Otherwise, you could consider only playing AA/KK/~.

ETA: While I agree with Thamel in that waiting for the one big hand preflop / flop is likely not to be the most profitable, playing it the more "profitable" way he describes (which is fine, imo) is going to be a mental rollercoaster unlike any you've ever been on. Bring your barf bag (seriously).

GthistablewillnotbeaseasyasyouthinkG

Thamel's advice is pretty good. Against a maniac you have to go to war on his terms. Just waiting for the ideal situation is leaving a ton of money on the table.

FWIW, going to war with 99 preflop with this guy is not even close, I am fistpumping super hard when I get dealt 99 and see him make the big raise before me. I can't emphasize enough how pleased I am to pile money in preflop there.

Sick inception