Is it more profitable to just smooth call a maniac?

Lately I have tried a new strategy on the maniacs. I smooth call them and let them continue to bet on each card.

I have found this to be extremely profitable, especially when there is a draw out there. For instance, you have JJ and the maniac raises preflop. Flop leaves you with an overpair. Maniac keeps betting the pot. I truly believe these guy's will put you on the draw and keep betting at you.

It's been working well for me for a few months now.

Thanks for any feedback.


8-) 8-) 8-) 8-)

Depending on what levels you play, the maniacs might not even think about what cards you have and they are just betting their hand. I still think it's more profitable to bet out and make them pay to draw if you have the best hand at the time. They won't hit their hand near as many times as not.

Too many times I've lost smooth calling because they bet and then catch when no one plays back at them. I try to take down the pot as soon as possible. With an overpair on the flop and a bet into me you can expect a good size reraise. But then again, I only play limit now so my NL advice may not be the greatest.

Originally Posted by gutshot

Depending on what levels you play, the maniacs might not even think about what cards you have and they are just betting their hand.

True, but a lot of times maniacs are not betting their hand, just trying to scare the shit out of you by bulldozing with big bets while holding rags. I see okie's point because calling shows weakness and encourages them to bet more by trying to scare you more. Of course this easily could backfire because you never know with a maniac, so I'd only just smooth call if you flop a monster.

Originally Posted by Les_'worm'

Too many times I've lost smooth calling because they bet and then catch when no one plays back at them. I try to take down the pot as soon as possible. With an overpair on the flop and a bet into me you can expect a good size reraise. But then again, I only play limit now so my NL advice may not be the greatest.

i think this holds true for no limit as well, and is good advice.

i only like calling (even with maniacs) when:

- i've got the nut (or near) hand
- i'm on a draw (and even then, depending on the situation, i like betting and sometimes raising my draws)
- have top pair but questionable kicker
- am not sure i have the best hand.

generally, if i believe i have the best hand at the moment, i'm betting/raising.

make them pay for making bad calls (regardless of whether they catch that lucky card or not).

I agree with the general sentiment here - if I have a very strong hand relative to the board, I'll smooth call to the river and then raise huge, assuming the board didn't go sour (like four of a suit I don't have). If I have anything less than trips with a pair in the pocket, I am raising from the get go.

I had a relevant hand just yesterday.

A maniac raised preflop in medium position with 2 callers, me being one of them in early position with 67h.

Flop is the magical

5s 4c 3h

I check the F, maniac bets half of pot, we both call.

Turn: Ah

Although I now also have a flush draw, I don't want to risk letting someone else making a higher flush or losing $ on the river in case I do have the only flush. Plus the A is a high card so hopefully somebody hit TPGK.

I check the T, maniac bets a quarter of pot, 1 caller, I reraise all in.

They both fold, and I pick up a pot half of my original stack by smooth calling until the point where I felt that my hand had a chance of being cracked. If I had bet out on FT I probably wouldn't have gotten that much money into the pot. Let the maniac build the pot for you.

I guess I should have put more info in my original post. But, I ALWAYS TAKE DOWN A POT WHEN IT GETS LARGE. I can not, and will not lose to some crazy catch on the river (that is, if I can prevent it).

However, I am more than willing to take my chances on the turn. More often than not, the pot is not all that large (my definition of large would be say, 15 to 25 times the BB), and the risk is not worth the big bet to take it down (i.e. he has twice as many chances to catch). Why go broke, when all I have to do is see the turn and make my decision.

Great posts.

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

P.S. I am talking about heads up when I play the hand this way.