First we have to identify these player types. Those players, who are playing with nearly every hand and just limping in are Loose and passive. In case (2) the player is calling everything you do. They are true fish and perhaps the most profitable players to play with. Though the next one (3), called maniac, is betting and raising irrationally before and/or after flop, no matter what kind of table there is. They could be playing with anything from 27o to AA.
How should we play against these players then? Here's my tips of playing against these cases (of course, some of the playing is related to your stack size!):
Playing on loose and passive players
Case (1): Loose and passive players. If they are in the pot and you happened to have a monster, like AA, KK etc., you should make a bet or raise. The bet size should be about 4 times the big blind+1BB for every single player who limped in (in this case, you would raise to 6bb, if both of them have called. You could raise to 5BB, if they are after you, because you know that they are likely to call - take advantage of it!). Playing against these players is easy post flop; whether they will fold on your continuation bet (trash w/o hit) or they will keep calling. Usually if this kind of player calls, they have a hand (set, flush, 2 pairs), and you should re-think your situation on the flop.
An example
You're in the MP3 (You), your hand is A
AUTG+1 folds
UTG+2 folds
UTG+3(1) calls
MP1 folds
MP2 (1) calls
You raise to 6bb
CU(cut-off) folds
BB, SB fold. UTG+3 and MP2 calls.
Flop:
K
7 8The flop seems to be quite harmless, so you decide to bet. There is a draw and 2 loose players, so you should perhaps protect your hand with 3/4 bet on the pot
UTG+1 checks
MP2 checks
You bet 3/4 pot
UTG+1 folds
MP2 folds
You played the hand right and got 18 BB without showdown. Nice job! If your opponent had called, then the game had been different. Then you should see what your opponent does on turn (they are first to act), and then perhaps fire the second barrel and bet again. If he calls again, you should take a free SD on the river. Even if you have had a hand like JJ, QQ, AQ etc. you should have fired your c-bet on the flop. Your opponents are so prone to fold without a hit so that kind of play will be profitable. NOTICE!! IF a player like this starts to 3-bet, then you're most likely far behind. You should consider your gameplay there; shuffle or fold.
Playing against calling stations
In case (2) you are opposing a loose player, who will never give up their hand before river. This kind of players are profitable, but you would have to chance your gameplay then. You have to be tighter and fire those barrels only with a strong draw (Open End Straight Draw=OESD, Nut flush draw, set, top pair). Remember not to bluff against calling stations; it's just a waste of your money. These players are profitable though because they are willing to risk a big amount of chips just to fish their flush draw into a flush.
An example
The events occure in table with 1$/2$ blinds, you have a stack of 75 BB (150$). You're in the MP3 (You), your hand is A
A. Blinds areUTG+1 folds
UTG+2 folds
UTG+3(1) calls
MP1 folds
MP2 (2) calls
You raise to 6bb ( 12 $)
CU(cut-off) folds
BB, SB fold. UTG+3 and MP2 calls.
Flop:
A
7 8 (pot: 39$)There is flush draw now and you have flopped the best possible set. You have to make a protective bet on the table though and try to evaluate the value of your hand. This is called value betting. You should, again, make a 3/4 bet.
UTG+1 checks
MP2 checks
You bet 29 $
UTG+1 folds
MP2 calls
Pot is now 97 $
Turn:
Q
River doesn't fill your opponents draws. You have to launch another barrel, 3/4 of the pot. On the other hand, the bet would be over 50 % of your exsisting stack, so you could(AND should) go all-in. On the contrary, in micro games like 0,01/0,02 these players will more likely call your bet of 3/4 of your stack than all-in bet. It's a psychological thing. Anyway, they have committed to the pot and are most likely to lose their chips.
MP2 checks
You bet 73 $
MP2 calls
River:
2
Best possible river. No draws were completed, no paired up board.. You go all-in and will win a big pot. Easy, isn't it?
Only cases when you should be careful with these players are:
1. Paired up board - their hand range is so wide that they could have called with any 2 cards. Pair on the board and their aggression indicates that you're most likely far behind.
2. Flush? In this case you have to make a bet to see whether they have hit it. If they donk you (bet before you), especially after being passive in the flop, you should consider folding. If you have a set, and your opponents bet is small enough (like under 1/2 of the pot), you could try to hit a full house.
3. Straight. Same advice as the earlier one.
Playing with a maniac..
The board is AK7, he makes a big bet after pre-flop aggression. The next hand he's raising a tight player, making him to fold. Third hand, bet from the UTG, flop 27T rainbow. He bets. This is a maniac, and he's one of the easiest players to have chips from.
You should play a) extremely tight and 2) on position against them. On position you could call with suited and connected cards like 78s, 98s etc, AT+, any pair. These hands are dangerous against him. He will probably make your play easy and make the pot big without your aggression. You should just let him to bet and raise on the pot.
An example
The events occure in table with 1$/2$ blinds, you have a stack of 75 BB (150$). You're in the MP3 (You), your hand is A
A. Blinds areUTG+1 folds
UTG+2 folds
UTG+3(maniac) raise to 4bb
MP1 folds
MP2 (2) calls
You call [Some players advice to re-raise. It's possible, yes, but it could scare even the maniac off on the flop)
CU(cut-off) folds
BB, SB fold.
Flop:
A
7 8 (pot: 27$)There is a flush draw now and you have flopped the best possible set. This time you don't have to protect, because this maniac is playing again like he has hit. He's making a pot size bet, which is good enough for you to call. This kind of game play where you have a hand and you're being passive is called trapping.
UTG+3 bets 27 $
MP2 calls
You call
Pot is now 108 $
Turn:
Q
River doesn't fill your opponents draws. Maniac bets again, this time 1/2 of the pot (54$). Calling station calls. Now you should go all-in and make your opponents to do a hard decision. Practically they are already committed to the pot, so they should call. Without that calling station you could just let the maniac kill himself with stupid bets.
UTG+3 bets 54$
MP2 calls
You raise all-in
And now, whether they call or not, you have a big pot in your pockets.
These advice of mine are just my opinion, and they work best on the micro and low stack games. Playing this open would make your opponents fold on the bigger levels. Yes, you have to protect your hand there, too, but you have to be more sly with your trapping. You can't let them go by you. But you don't want your opponents to fold either. Only experience makes you better, and you can evaluate your position after analyzing your opponents well enough.
Next article will be about stack control. Until then,
"Mr. Anonymous writer, who can't remember his alias."
