How to Play Against a Maniac (LAG) in Poker
Loose Aggressive (LAG)You beat a maniac by calling its early bets lighter, raising its flop bets and 3-betting its opens, then giving its river bets credit, because most maniacs bluff early and give up late.
A maniac, or loose aggressive player, plays far too many hands and bets the flop with plenty of air. It feels like they are running you over. The counter is to fight back early, where their bets are weakest, and to respect them late, where most of their bluffs have already stopped.
This opponent's stats
Stats are measured from Poker Shark's opponent of each type: 20,000 simulated hands at 100 big blinds against GTO opponents. The Regular is measured at 200 big blinds, the depth of the levels it leads. Fold to 3-bet for the Loose Passive and Tight Passive comes from 80,000 and 120,000 hands, because they rarely face one. AF counts postflop bets and raises per call. In the Arena each opponent is dealt hands it wants to play, so it will look looser there. The Adaptive's numbers are from before it has any of your hands, and its preflop play stays the same after. A type describes a tendency, not the player at your table on any given night.
Why a maniac is beatable
A player who bets the flop with everything is betting with a lot of weak hands early in the hand. Those flop bets are worth far less than a tight player's. The trick is to stop respecting their early aggression the way you would respect a nit, while remembering that most of their bluffs stop by the river.
Fight back early, believe them late
When you flop a strong hand against a maniac, bet it or raise their flop bet. This one folds most weak hands when its flop bet is raised and checks most of its air by the river, so waiting for it to keep firing often leaves money on the table. Raise its opens with your good hands too. It folds most of the time to a 3-bet.
Widen your calldowns on the flop and turn
Because a maniac bets so many weak hands early, the hands you need to call the flop and turn with get weaker too. Second pair and strong ace high become calls. The river is different: most of this player's river bets are a pair or better, so give them credit there.
Mistakes that let a maniac run you over
The costly mistakes are paying off their river bets and never fighting back. They fold most of the time to a 3-bet and fold most weak hands when you raise their flop bet. The other mistake is folding too much early because the pressure is uncomfortable. Call the early bets, raise when you are strong, and save your folds for the river.
What they will do
- Play most hands, limping about half of them when folded to
- Bet the flop with air: about a third of its flop bets have no pair and no draw
- Bet the full pot with river bluffs and two thirds of the pot with value
What they will not do
- Bluff the river often
- Bet more than the pot
- Hold a weak hand when its flop bet is raised
Quick tip: Against a maniac, raise its flop bets and 3-bet its opens, then respect its river bets.
What to practice
Plays most hands and bets the flop with lots of air. Practice calling early bets lighter and folding to river bets.
Practice beating the maniac for real.
Play this exact player type in the arena and drill the adjustment until it is automatic.
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Frequently asked questions
How do you play against a LAG in poker? +
Call its early bets lighter, raise its flop bets and 3-bet its opens with good hands, and give its river bets credit. Most loose-aggressive players bluff early and give up late.
What is the difference between a maniac and a TAG? +
Both are aggressive, but a maniac plays far too many hands and bets with weak holdings, while a tight-aggressive player is selective and usually has a real hand when the chips go in. A maniac you call down lighter; a TAG you respect more.