How to play top pair weak kicker OOP?

[Bantam222]

Often times, especially at lower limits, I will have many limpers to my BB/SB. I have a mediocre hand and check it.
I'll hit top pair weak kicker and I'm out of position vs multiple opponents...

I feel I often have the best hand here, but I'm never sure how to play it.

If i bet it out I am often called and then I don't know where I stand in the hand, being out of position doesn't help. I'll find myself either check/folding the turn, or betting it out, overplaying my weak hand loosing much more then I should be.

[Alfil]

I prefer to bet when I whiff the flop and c/f TPWK. Just because you had to put in a blind doesn't mean you should feel obliged to play when you catch a piece.

[hoyasaxa]

assuming were talking about a k4 hitting a king and not a 7 4 on a 7 2 3 flop, i like to lead out for about 3/4 of the pot, you never know if your hand is good at that point. I c/f to a call on the turn or just fold to a raise on the flop. This goes less for draw heavy boards, where I tend to just give up.

[Triggerle]

Post an example hand with your question. It makes discussion easier.

I usually donk away on the flop and if called then try to get to showdown for cheap unless I improve.

[CrushDreams]

Agree but you have to not only be aware of draw heavy boards. Look to call bets that are weak. Don't be calling large pot sized bets with K8 on a k23 board. When they look weak play along. Get out of the way of a big draw board or big bets.

[Frosteater]

It depends a bit on the hand, as there are usually three ways for me to play it, depending on the two cards in front of me.

1. Potent hands like QJ or T9
The kind of hands I'd raise if it's going to be HU vs the other blind, if I find myself with these cards on the flop and I've hit, I usually lead out. This tends to thin the opposition that could outdraw me. But I'm looking to see a cheap showdown, so I usually don't bet the turn and fold to a reraise on the flop or a potsize bet on the turn. Though I'm willing to stick to it, if the resistance is rather weak. This is one of those cases where I prefer calling to folding, but that depends on who is betting how much into me. I don't bet second pair with these, but if I flop an OESD or flush draw, no matter if I have a pair, I lead the flop as well, to build a pot. This usually works satisfyingly, since my opponents don't know if I'm on a draw or protecting from one. If they want to find out, fine, when the turn comes I haven't invested much and am usually in a good spot to avoid horrible decisions. Also, if you really hit top pair with QJ, you can usually extract quite a bit. You'd raise that one from the button and I assume those of your opponents who are positionally unaware never see that one coming, since, you know, you raise so much, you'd never complete/check with two face cards.

2. The trash - K3o-type hands
I lead those sometimes, depending on the kicker and how many limpers are in the pot. Same principle as above, I make clear that I've hit, but this time I shut down to any kind of resistance. If there's a turn, I'm usually done with the hand. Also, as I mentioned, it depends on the kicker. I probably bet K7 while just checking K3. Because I like kickers. If you bet and your kicker isn't too bad, you are usually in good shape if called, but if your kicker is non-existent you'll have quite a decision on the turn. I think in this case it's better to check-fold and let them catch up a bit on the turn. See if they want to do the betting if the queen on the turn gives them second pair. Which brings us to ....

3. Ragged Aces
If I have an Ace here and spike top pair on the flop, I just check almost all of the time. The reason for this is my (probably) flawed logic looking at a strength of hand vs money invested ratio combined with the fact that you won't get outdrawn to a better pair and your opponents know this. Checking the flop gives me one round to see how the limpers react to that board. If someone is betting, especially if he's passive and/or the bet is big, I usually fold unless I have A9+. If that isn't the case I know I have the best hand. If this happens, I see my hand as the nuts and let my opponents hang themselves if they catch something they like on the turn or river. This seems a bit dangerous and your opponents will draw out on the turn a few times. I have no problem with that because I'm aware my hand isn't made for big pots anyway. Or to put it this way, I have top pair (can't get worse) mediocre (at best) kicker oop (can't get better) in an unraised pot - I can't see a single reason to protect anything here. If the opposition catches a straight/flush/whatever on the turn, they'll let us know and we're done with that hand - they have a great hand and deserve the blind they took from us. We're not playing for stacks, so no problem. This will happen, but what happens a lot more often is a K/Q/J on the turn/river, giving your opponent second pair. He thinks he's good, he bets, one or two of the other guys think they're good, too, so they call, you call as well. Most of the time you'll have the best hand at showdown and win a small to medium pot, which is what you're aiming at with that hand. On top of that you'll get a bit more respect now when you're passive, which helps when you're drawing. Also I'd assume this level has a harder time reading you, since you showed them that you don't always bet when you have a hand and vice versa (continuation bets).