'It was a great game. There was this superstar raising every pot blind…I went skint.' Sounds familiar? Then read on. We've all been in a cash game either live or on-line where one or more players seemed to want to set fire to their money. How do you play against them? You should have a big edge, right? But so often it seems to go wrong.

Firstly, you need to understand what is going through their minds. Is there some kind of method to their madness? Maybe they are on tilt - chasing their loses- , maybe they think it's smart to play a very aggressive game, maybe they have deep pockets and want to force you to play outside your comfort zone, or perhaps they are simply having fun. If they are trying to change the dynamics of the game it is just possible that they are not as daft as they seem.

One of the things that classically happens is that a loose player loosens up the whole game. Total rocks find themselves in unfamiliar territory. You lower the criteria for starting hands, call every raise wanting to catch the fish before someone else does. Before you know it you are feeling pressure. You may have gone a bit behind; you are worried that someone else is going to clean him out before you can win your money back. You find yourself in situations where you are calling to hit non-nut hands; failing to credit your opponent with a real hand; getting caught between the lose player and someone else who is waiting in the bushes.

You may also make the mistake of letting it get personal. Amazingly this can even happen on-line when you know nothing at all about the persons themselves.

So what should you do? Firstly, you should be playing with enough money to cover the kind of game you are in. Otherwise, you are just gambling. Secondly, you should stick to only entering the pots with good starting hands. Otherwise, you are just gambling. Gambling is your opponent's strong suit; don't play him at his game. Take account of your position and play accordingly. If you have him on your left then you can limp with a very strong hand knowing you can get a big re-raise in. If you have him on your right you can call his raise and take a flop knowing he is likely to overplay.

However, once you get into a pot with this player, you must be prepared to read situations. If you pass everything but the nuts he will soon wear you down. Sooner or later you may find yourself calling them with half a hand. Don't look for this situation or be in a hurry for it to happen, but be prepared to back your judgment if you must.

Finally, you should obviously be extra cautious about trying to bluff this player. You need to have observed that he is capable of passing and to be really sure that you have found an appropriate situation. If you get his money it will almost certainly be because he gives it to you, not because you take it from him.

These Pro Tips are provided by TheHendonMob themselves and were originally published on www.thehendonmob.com. The website features poker articles, tips, competitions, a great forum and the first and most comprehensive worldwide poker tournament database http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/.