Bad seat, bad table=high variance

Sometimes you can instantly tell that it is a bad table and/or seat choice.  So, today when the 1st omaha table opened it was a complete clusterf**k.  I had my designs on seat 9 but it was already reserved, so I chose seat 1, another popular choice I have noticed among the knowledgeable players.  Immediately I felt a strong cold draft from the a/c in the floor.  Also, the player 2 to my left is a well known maniac, raising and straddling often.  I like to see the raises coming and so did the regular immediately to my left moving to seat 4.  I moved to seat 5, while seat 9 did not show up so a new player sat there.  His wife then moved to 8 from 3.  Another player sat down in 3, was dealt one hand and told he had to move as another player was ahead of him.  Oh yeah, the guy in 6 complained because another seat was not filled.  It took more than 10 minutes for the game to start.

Once begun the maniac began his craziness.  He buys in for $300 and often rebuys another 200 when he loses some.  What I found was that seat 6 was also a maniac.  Any time 3 raised he would re-raise naturally maniac one would 3 bet and the other guy cap it.  I was a monkey in the middle.  I quickly lost  $100, reloaded, and eventually cashed out for $210 feeling lucky to escape without a loss.  The maniac in 3?  Stuck 600-800 by my best estimate.  The maniac in 6?  He hit 2 high hands for $350 and won at least $600 besides.  Two of the best players lost $100 and $400.  I have never seen one of them leave without multiple trays.