OK, so I am low on confidence at the moment, but I want to have a go at 6max because I am bored of sitting like a rock at FR, I want to have a go at some actual poker without too much risk.

I have only been at the table 8-10 hands ish, but opponent is short stacked and seeing nearly all the flops so far, calling a couple of raises, but not showing down.

I think my play here with AK is pretty standard, but my big question is what should I do on the flop VS this donk with 3-1 odds?

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (6 handed) from (Format: Bet The Pot)

Hero ($25)
UTG ($3.95)
MP ($25.50)
CO ($17.40)
Button ($7)
SB ($9.75)

Preflop: Hero is BB with , .
1 fold, MP calls $0.25, CO calls $0.25, Button calls $0.25, SB completes, Hero raises to $1.75, MP folds, CO folds, Button folds, SB calls $1.50.

Flop: ($4.25) , , (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $3, SB raises to $8, (All in)

Hero??

Second hand, same play basically, same maniac donk opponent. This time he delays a LONG time before pushing all in.....

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (5 handed) from (Format: Bet The Pot)

Hero ($27.65)
UTG ($22.05)
MP ($14.70)
Button ($9.65)
SB ($17.15)

Preflop: Hero is BB with , .
1 fold, MP calls $0.25, 1 fold, SB completes, Hero raises to $1.25, MP folds, SB calls $1.

Flop: ($2.75) , , (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $3, SB raises to $15.9,

Hero ???

Here are a couple more hands:

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (5 handed) from (Format: Bet The Pot)

Hero ($25.20)
SB ($18.65)
BB ($6.45)
UTG ($7.25)
MP ($9.95)

Preflop: Hero is Button with , .
UTG calls $0.25, MP calls $0.25, Hero raises to $1.25, 1 fold, BB calls $1, UTG folds, MP calls $1.

Flop: ($4.10) , , (3 players)
BB bets $0.5, MP calls $0.50, Hero raises to $4, BB calls $3.50, MP calls $3.50.

Turn: ($16.10) (3 players)
BB bets $1, MP raises to $4.7, Hero calls $4.70, BB calls $0.20 (All-In).

River: ($26.70) (3 players, 1 all-in)

Final Pot: $26.70


Good or bad?

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (5 handed) from (Format: Bet The Pot)

Hero ($40.70)
UTG ($18.55)
MP ($10)
Button ($6.75)
SB ($10.25)

Preflop: Hero is BB with , . MP posts a blind of $0.25.
UTG calls $0.25, MP (poster) checks, 1 fold, SB completes, Hero checks.

Flop: ($1) , , (4 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $1, UTG folds, MP folds, SB calls $1.

Turn: ($3) (2 players)
SB checks, Hero checks.

River: ($3) (2 players)
SB bets $3, Hero calls $3.

Final Pot: $9


PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (4 handed) from (Format: Bet The Pot)

Hero ($35.85)
Button ($32.15) (maniac)
SB ($15.30)
BB ($38.25)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with , .
Hero raises to $1.5, Button raises to $2.75, 2 folds, Hero calls $1.25.

Flop: ($5.85) , , (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets $5, Hero folds.

Final Pot: $10.85


Results in white below:
No showdown. Button wins $10.85.
Button: shows [Jd Ad] (a pair of Aces)

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (6 handed) from (Format: Bet The Pot)

Hero ($38.75)
SB ($18.30)
BB ($3.15)
UTG ($16.40)
MP ($16.80)
CO ($23.60)

Preflop: Hero is Button with , . CO posts a blind of $0.35.
1 fold, MP calls $0.25, CO (poster) checks, Hero raises to $1.75, 2 folds, MP calls $1.50, CO calls $1.50.

Flop: ($5.70) , , (3 players)
MP checks, CO checks, Hero checks.

Turn: ($5.70) (3 players)
MP checks, CO bets $2, Hero calls $2, MP calls $2.

River: ($11.70) (3 players)
MP checks, CO bets $4.25, Hero folds, MP calls $4.25.

Final Pot: $20.20

Results in white below:
MP has Ts Ac (one pair, aces).
CO has 2d 4h (high card, ace).
Outcome: MP wins $20.20.

I'm not a 6max player, but even 22 beats you, and he might have hit and tried to slowplay A9 or some crap. I think you can keep those 5 bucks in your bank account better despite the odds of hitting A or K. Seems marginal whichever way you decide.

Hand 2 I officially don't know enough about 6max to comment on.

A simple rule against short-stacks: Value bet, TPTK is nuts.

First hand:
I don't autoraise AKo from BB. Check flop behind if you don't hit, shortstacks like to play like that one, save CB for overpairs. As played I would curse and call.

Second hand:
Call all day long.

Third hand:
Given the action it is likely that you lost that one, but it is played fine (I assume that you put MP AI).

Fourth hand:
Played fine.

Results below in white (highlight with mouse)

Hand 1: I fold, he doesn't show.
Hand 2: I fold, he doesn't show.
Hand 3, I call the all in bet, BB muck, MP shows T T I take down the pot.
Hand 4: I call hit pot river bet, he shows down 6 6 for the Full house.

So, after my first 71 hands I am up 1bb. WOOHOO! LOL.

I am pretty happy with the way I played though, I got rid of a couple big ish pairs and the opponents showed and my fold was correct. I called a couple of flop bets with underpairs that I didn't need to and folded on the turn, costing myself maybe 5-7$ total, overall I was more aggressive but I was still at a loss as to how to react vs. a very loose v. aggressive opponent, I think I folded a few winning hands there.

Hand two I found the most difficult, because it was rapidly becoming clear that this guy was a maniac, yet I can't beat KT, KQ, AJ, I'm not in great shape against or even QxS

I hope to adapt to 6max, the swings seem bigger, but it is also more fun, because I am seeing 24%+ of flops instead of my FR usual of 10-14% .

You show too much respect for maniacal short stack.

First hand he could easily have AJ, 5x, 9x, so you could have even a better hand there.

Second hand K8 is on the top of his range, he calls too many raises preflop and tries to push tight players from their hands. You were reasonably good even against KT there (10 outs 2 times) and you had reasonable pot odds.