Playing Short Handed with 3 Maniacs

[Aequitas58]

You mentioned that they're maniacs... they sound like good players to me if you were getting bullied all night! Seriously: you say they were routinely playing the flop strong ... is that only when they hit the flop? This answer alone will dictate how you play them. If they are ALWAYS strong post-flop, pick a hand that hits the flop and push. If you miss, fold and wait for your opportunity.

Down to 4 maniacs / fast players: Stick to the basics. I would say that since they are playing loose, you should tighten up... but since the blinds are so high, you're forced to play:

First, when playing PF, put your opponent on a range of hands. If you simply can't do this because they are so unpredictable, then find a hand and push w/ it. Here, I would go w/ any Ace, any K7/8+, Q9+, or any PP. Don't CALL all your chips in, unless you have a good hand. Don't CALL all your chips in pre-flop with anything speculative, unless you have a read that he's playing aggro w/ 35o.

Second, I would try to see cheap flops. It sounds like this group of friends like to get into dick-swinging pre-flop raising wars (why wasn't I invited? LOL), so an UTG / Button limp might just let you see a cheap flop.

No cheap flops? Then you know how to play anything premium. Limp! You know where to go from there.

HTH,

[Zybomb]

Good advice on the rest of the post as well. I still had a playable stack (13-14 BBs) so I didnt have to push, but only 4 handed with so much preflop aggression and raises being contested so often, the blinds get around fast.

[Zybomb]

The main issue was I was trying to stay patient, but I wasnt getting premium hands. I was getting the occassional J10s, Q10, Kxs, 44, etc... but like I said I still had 13-14 or so BBs in my stack. With this many chips Do I push with hands like these? I could try and open but my open was reraised on average 1 out of every 2 times.

These players were also players who called a CB flop bets with nothing, just attempting to steal the pot on a later street (or get lucky and catch).

Thats great if you are hitting the flop, the issue was in general, I wasnt.

Frustrating night, 3rd place finish, no cash