Playing top pair/keeping the pot small

[DovVN]

Ive been working on keeping pots smaller with vulnerable hands like top pair.So heres what Ive been doing with hands like AA,KK,QQ,JJ,AK,1010,AQ.Tell me what you guys think.Am I playing to conservatively?

Normally I raise with these hands and heres what I will do.If Im in EP and I get 2 callers or less I will not make a continuation bet unless I hit on the flop.If I do hit top pair I will bet 2/3 of the pot trying to keep it small.If I get a call I will usually check the turn and call a reasonable bet here.I will then check the river and again call a resonable bet.I realize Im sacraficing a couple things.First,Im not protecting my hand.Second,by not being aggressive I open myself up to a bluff.I have no idea where Im at because they think Im weak.Im not sure if this is worth it to keep the pot small or not.The upside is that I dont get invlolved in big pots with top pair.

If I raise in late position I play it a bit more aggressivly.I will make a pot size bet with 2 or less callers in LP.If I get a call I will check the turn.I will call a reasonable bet on the river and may bet myself if a blank came off.

I play this about the same way with all these hands hoping to keep the pot smaller.I realize this can be exploited but at this level people arent too sharp.I also multitable so its hard for me to play differently depending on the person im playing.

Any thoughts on this?Should I be playing more aggressivly and just see what heppens in the hand?Thanks for the help.

[WarhammerIIC]

The first thing you need to do is take who you're playing against into account. I mean, if the guy folds to continuation bets 0% of the time, is there really any point in making one? If the guy will call a pot-sized bet on the flop no matter what he has, is there any point in making a 2/3 pot-sized bet if you think you have the best hand? My advice is to start taking your opponent's tendencies into account.

[Siz]

If you hit top pair and it's a multi contested pot on the flop with draw possibilities are you still going to bet 2/3? Seems like a good way to get run over w/ the best hand.

[sww]

Play such tables or manipulate your image so that you are happy to play big pots with top pair. Playing only for monsters is boring. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Triggerle]

With everything being standard (meaning no ultra-tight or tricky opponents and no weird boards) the best line for overpairs is to bet at least pot on all streets. People at the micros call too much and they will call you with weaker hands. You have to apply judgement if you run into resistance but if they just call call call you have the best of it the vast maoprity of the time.

AK,AQ are a bit different as you typically aim for two streets of value instead of three. One reason for this is that your holding is much more transparent on a simplistic level. I mean that if you have an A-high flop people will put you on an ace more often than if you have an AA overpair on am undercard flop.

Depending on your reads you can treat AK TPTK like overpair hands sometimes, too, if you believe the opponent is bad enough to call off his whole stack with TP with a lesser kicker.

[ajmargarine]

TPTK/overpair = teh nutz. That is all. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[DaycareInferno]

in general (emphasis on general), i am more passive in position with 1 pair hands than i am oop, because i have more control of the hand, and can't be as easily be punished for slowing down. oop, i am usually very agressive (in general), because i like to make it uncomfortable for people to try and use their position to exploit me.

[Triggerle]

[ QUOTE ]
in general (emphasis on general), i am more passive in position with 1 pair hands than i am oop, because i have more control of the hand, and can't be as easily be punished for slowing down. oop, i am usually very agressive (in general), because i like to make it uncomfortable for people to try and use their position to exploit me.

[/ QUOTE ]
If your 1pair hands include overpairs then I think you are missing value. Many many opponents will call off their whole stack with TPTK vs. your overpair. Being too passive often fails to build a pot in order to get their whole stack.

[boycalledroy]

With 100bb's or less be willing to go broke on JJ+ preflop. I'll go broke for about 100 bb's with TPTK generally against 90% of opponents (as long as I'm leading the betting).

[ajmargarine]

Blah...post hands where you do what you describe. General general stuff like this is pretty murky to talk about without hands. You should go for pot conctrol sometimes. you should bet out strong sometimes. need to see hands.