My home game, which is half PLO8/NLHE, 1/2 blinds, 100 buyin...action can be heavy...1000 wins/losses are common.

People don't really understand the PLO8 nuances (freeroll, wraps, playing for 3/4 or scoop etc...)...often people will call with garbage - 3rd nut flush draw, two pair with low straight on board etc...

In any case, this hand (I'm SB) was triple straddled to 16...I'm dealt A25J, with suited ace. I just call...I prefer to see flop in our game rather than raise or bloat pot.

Gets to UTG...deliberate, but very aggressive player who overvalues his hands.

He raises pot 73 more (I think there were 4 callers including me)...three people call to me.

My question is this:

I'm fairly certain he has AAxx (past experience)...effective stacks are about 500. He will fire away on virtually any flop - and for some reason every bet he makes is pot sized! So I'm virtually certain to have to put in my stack if I hit a good hand/draw.

Do I just call, or re-pot? Others will call repot...but often in our home game we decide there is enough money in pots and take some out...in other words, maybe we'll only play for 150 or 100 vs the full 500.

This is how hand played out...I just called, as did BB - 6 handed.

Flop 844, two diamonds. He pots, two callers...I fold.

Turn 10

River 5.

I would have scooped low, raiser had AA66 with diamonds (no flush came), and high was won by maniac who called with 48KJ! Low won by other donkey who called (short stacked at 200ish) with 23 low draw.

I really didn't like the thought of putting in 73 knowing I'd fold a healthy percentage of the time, yet gambling it up for my stack isn't how I like to play in our game.

Pre-flop looks good

Flop is a call based on game description, would be a tougher decision with stronger players

Against crazy guys nut lo-draws go heavily up in value and, depending on SPR, you might just have to stack off.

Preflop: calling is the right play. You want to see a flop with you hand. and not to gamble preflop against AAxx and maybe two random hands if the other players can't fold their hands.

Flop: after 3 players are involved how likely is it that others have A2?
If you put the aggressor on AAxx, there can be in the worst case maximum 3 A2 hands around and with 4 people involved in the pot you re taking almost your whole money back if you don't get counterfeited.
in the best case you scoop the low, just like it happened.
If players are loose like you said, I would call in that position after the two callers, even without protection for your low hand.

Thanks for responses...I'm still not sure how to play against this player...he likes to raise big and almost always continues after any flop.

Good news is when you hit, he'll stack off as a 10-1 underdog or worse.

Bad news is you usually don't hit and have to fold.

I've always had a tough time against these types of players...they force you to gamble and guess.

This particular hand, I knew I had virtually no chance of scooping or getting 3/4. Two other players were short stacked (200ish?)...but I still have to hit the low.

It may have been slightly +EV to call...but considering I can get my money in as a huge favorite fairly often, why gamble for a huge pot on a coin flip?