In all of my time playing poker, I've found that most successful players tend to fall into one of two categories. One category is the player who always attempts to be the table captain. This player attempts to constantly bend the will of everyone at the table to conform to his game or suffer the consequences. Typically, this player is aggressive and enjoys the fact that the other players at the table have to basically play their game with him. I realize that this sounds kind of negative, but it really isn't. Some of the best players I know are table captains. They have a presence at the table that often commands respect and yields results.

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The addition of a maniac to the table has a very dramatic effect upon what the good player needs to do in order to avoid getting thrashed against the rocky cliffs of the Pacific Coast, if you will. This column will focus on strategies for playing against the maniac, while Part II will discuss understanding how to adjust for changes in the whole table as a result of this wild player.

The first important point I want to make is that you will benefit greatly by understanding what drives a maniac to play in his reckless, hyperaggressive manner. One thing I have noticed about most all of the maniacs I have encountered in poker is that they really don't put much effort into being liked by others. They don't care too much if their behavior upsets their opponents. In fact, they seem to get a charge out of driving the rest of us into a frenzy of frustration.

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IIn this follow-up column, I will address issues that we need to keep in mind regarding how the presence of such an individual changes everyone's behavior and actions. We must learn to pay attention simultaneously to how our other opponents' tendencies are altered as a result. In other words, it is not sufficient just to be able to outplay the maniac heads up, but to be able to leverage the maniac's aggression to maximize your chance of winning.

Before the flop, expect a raise!

If the maniac is to act after you, expect a raise before the flop. Therefore, when looking at your first two cards, don't play those borderline hands with which you like to limp in, hoping to see a cheap flop. A great example would be Q-J or 10-9 suited. These kinds of hands are much better to play when you are in later position and already have a sense of what the field and the price are looking like..

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"How should I play when there's a maniac at the table?" Good question! We all know what a maniac is. He is overly aggressive, and that's putting it mildly. If "be selective but be aggressive" is poker's underlying mantra, the maniac is the guy who's half way there. He's aggressive, all right. But he missed out on the selective part of this lesson entirely.

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If you think that playing like a maniac at a poker table is very easy, you are really mistaken. Your playing style should be well-planned and if you want it to be profitable you must be extremely attentive to details and sober-minded even if your image is just opposite to that. First of all, you must be ready that playing maniac you will be laying down more hands after the flop than you may think is necessary. With no exception of top pair, top kicker..

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A player who masters unpredictable play is a very tough opponent. It is impossible to guess what he is raising, when he is bluffing or when he has the nuts. The biggest catch of this style is that most people get carried away with it.

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Recently I was playing a shorthanded hold'em game at Commerce Casino. I flopped an ace-high flush. My conversation as my opponent started to bet and then hesitated was playful and went something like this: "Don't go betting that hand into me. What if I have a flush? Oh, you are betting? I might be trying for the biggest flush in the history of poker. I might already have it. I might have a pair of sixes. Nope, it's a pair of jacks. Anyway, I call."

Sounds like babble, right? But it isn't. Every word, my inflection, my tone of voice, my brief pauses for reaction - everything - were carefully gauged to elicit a tell and to put me in a position to manipulate the action. No, I don't expect everyone to be able to duplicate what I do. I'm the best there's ever been at manipulating opponents. I wish I hadn't written that last sentence, but there's no way to take it back now. I don't like to boast about my poker skills, and I feel bad because it happens so often.

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A lot has been written about the proper way to behave at the poker table. Usually, the advice given is directed at serious players who are trying to play poker well or are moving up the ranks. It usually is not directed at bad players. Because they lose so much money, most of us don't really care how they behave. They may be the most unpleasant or obnoxious people in the house, but if we can expect to take their money, there is nothing to complain about, right? What's more, lots of these bad (behaving) players don't read Card Player on a regular basis, so what's the use in trying to improve their behavior by writing articles they don't read anyway?

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Dear Poker Counselor,

I have a hard time staying focused while playing because of the behavior of the other guys at the table. Whether I'm playing at my local casino or online, I seem to end up at the table with idiots who make rude comments and curse at me. When I run hot, they look down on me like I'm a lucky "fish." When I lose, it is even worse. I try to not let them get to me, but they always somehow get me off of my game. What can I do?

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