Rest assured,  there is no bad beat story ahead,  just a story with a point to it,  so stay with me.  In the middle of this disappointing session,  I was dealt QT suited in a typical loose-passive low stakes game.  Five of us saw the flop,  which had a queen but did not help my flush draw.  In early position,  I bet.  The next three players folded,  and the player in late position raised.  I called.  The turn and river both brought blanks,  with me doing the checking and calling.  Needless to say, on the river the player flipped over AQ,  and I had spent $12 to find out when I could have spent $4 had I been playing right.  I even remember saying,  “He’s got me out-kicked”  before my opponent flipped over his cards.  Problem is,  if I knew that on the flop,  why did I foolishly call on the turn and river?

Holdem players find themselves in exactly the same situations countless times,  chasing when the warning signs are there that they are beat,  or playing passively because they think they might be beat.  It may not seem like much at the time,  but it makes a huge difference in your bankroll how you play top pair.  Top pair wins many holdem hands,  but this hand can also be brutal to your bankroll when you play it poorly.  I’ll admit,  it’s something I still work on and is difficult to master.  But by knowing when  (and how)  to stay and when to go when you flop top pair  (rather than just playing the hand passively when your kicker is poor,  hoping to hit two pair or trips),  you can go from a mediocre player to a solid low stakes player with less wild swings in your bankroll.

How’s that Kicker?  Many new players fail to understand the importance of a kicker  --  the other hole card you hold to go with your pair.  When you flop top pair,  the kicker will play when another player has flopped top pair as well.  Obviously,  the player with the higher card has the other player  "out-kicked"  when the cards are flipped over,  as illustrated in my poor play of QT.

When your cards are not suited,  you must have big cards.  That means avoiding unsuited connectors like T9,  only playing TJ and higher from late position,  and playing other big cards such as KJ,  JQ,  QK and AK,  AQ,  and AJ from middle and early position.  You can also limp with AT,  but this is an overrated hand that can get you into trouble if it’s not suited.  If you play hands like QT and JT offsuit from early and middle position,  you can get into serious trouble,  being trapped with top pair and being out-kicked on the river if you do not get away from the hand,  or having the King or Ace come on the turn or river...  and being stuck if you have a hard time laying it down.

Aggression, Aggression, Aggression.  A problem with top pair in Texas holdem is many players do not understand the potential strength or weakness of the hand.  A pair is one of those in-between hands,  especially if one is more familiar with stud or draw poker.  Because of that,  some players like to check and call with top pair,  rather than play it hard.

This is a big mistake and can cost you big.  You must play top pair hard,  betting and raising to get information.  To return to my example of QT,  when I bet and the other player raised me,  that should have told me  “He has you out-kicked,  has two pair or a set,”  and I should have gotten away from the hand as there was no chance for me to get a flush or straight.  Calling the raise was the mistake  --  my initial bet was not.  However,  many players who flop top pair just check,  thinking,  “Well,  my kicker isn’t so hot,  and I hope to improve on the turn or the river.”  If I had checked and called on the flop,  this would have been just as bad as the call of my opponent’s raise.  I would have gotten no information.

While many players may not bet with top pair,  others make an even more costly move  --  not raising with it.  Let’s return to the situation with QT and hitting a Queen on the flop,  but suppose I was in late position and the player with AQ had bet.  Here,  a raise is the right move.  If I raise and he fires back,  I can get away from the hand.  Even if he just calls,  it sends a signal to me that he has a good hand or a powerful draw,  and I can evaluate my situation on the turn,  folding if he bets into me  (after all,  I raised him on the flop)  if my hand does not improve,  because I’ll know I am behind.  If I just call him,  though,  I get no information.  I just have to hope for the best.  Raising with just a pair takes guts  --  but it's how you win at low stakes holdem because it gets you the information you need to read your opponent’s hands,  allowing you to save money you would have thrown in the pot on the turn or the river.

Board Evaluation.  Another big key to play of top pair is evaluating the community cards.  My favorite flop with a top pair is the  “rainbow”  flop,  where there are no flush draws.  Many players love to play any two suited cards in low stakes Texas holdem,  so when there are three suits on the flop your hand is not as vulnerable.  When there are two  (or the worst-case scenario,  three)  of the same suit on the flop,  you have to proceed with caution,  but again need to be aggressive if you are going to play the hand;  if not,  get out of the way.  Similarly,  you have to be careful when the possible flush or straight comes on the turn and river.

If no one has bet,  fire out a bet and if it is raised carefully evaluate what you will do next.  Certainly if you have a powerful flush draw with your top pair you will stay until the river,  and call,  playing more passively because the raise indicates a made flush or another big hand.  If there has been a bet,  raise.  If the player does indeed have the flush,  he or she will typically raise back at you so you can get away from the hand.  Your decision is easier on the turn,  because the betting limits have gone up.  If you have top pair and the third suited card comes on the turn,  and your bet is raised or your raise is re-raised,  you can get away from the hand assuming you do not have a powerful flush draw as well.  The only time you would play passively is when there are four cards of the same suit on the turn,  and you have no chance at a flush.  If it is bet,  fold,  because you do not want to call two big bets when you are likely drawing dead.

Remember:  Always be evaluating the board.  Top pair plays better in a narrower field,  so you want to do all you can to eliminate players.  Even one less player is beneficial.  How many times have we been lucky enough to catch two running cards or a miracle river card thanks to no bets?  Don’t let that happen to you by giving free cards.  Punish the draws and make them pay,  but also know when the draws have hit their hand and when you can get away from yours.

Watch your Opponents!  While you need to be analyzing what the community cards are,  you also need to be watching your opponents.  Those cards on the table won’t be going anywhere.  If you are playing in a  “brick and mortar”  game,  watch how your opponents react as the cards come.  For instance,  suppose you raised in late position with top pair and got several callers on the flop  --  which had two suited cards.  Watch how your opponents react when the turn and river cards come.  If they look down at their chips,  or start to move for their chips,  and you look at the board to see the third card of the same suit fell,  it is a good sign they hit their draw.  Never miss an opportunity to pick up on a tell.  You can even do this in online games.  If a player bets or raises quickly it’s a sign he or she has clicked the  “bet or raise”  button and made the hand.  Many players play multiple tables online,  so they use these features when they hit a hand.  Use that information to your advantage and lay down your top pair when you put your opponent on a made draw.

Avoid the Savvy River Lay-down.  It's no fun losing on the river,  and every poker player knows that sinking feeling when the river card comes,  making the board have a four-straight or four-flush.  However,  if it is just one bet to call on the river,  you need to make that call unless your read is perfect or the pot is tiny and you made top pair on the river  (thus not betting on the flop or turn).  By the river you have a lot invested,  and many players love to bluff when a four-flush or four-straight is showing,  especially if in late position and the game is passive.  Indeed many times they will have a flush or straight,  but when it is just a bet on the river,  you have to call the top pair and pay off your opponent,  because they may indeed be just trying to buy the pot.  When it is two bets,  then you can lay down the hand  --  but very often a player may just be trying to buy the pot,  and with so much invested already by the river,  losing one more bet is not a big deal.  But losing an entire pot because of a poor read is.

Pay attention to other outs.  When you flop top pair,  it can be easy to get tunnel vision and focus on only the pair,  thinking you want to improve to two pair or trips.  It’s easy to lose sight of other outs,  such as inside-straight draws or flush draw longshots.  I’ve heard many players flip over their hand on the river,  thinking they have top pair or trips and have the dealer respond,  “Actually it’s a flush,  though a pair would work too.”  Odds are certainly against catching two running cards,  but it does happen.  If you fail to notice this,  you may think your hand is weaker than it actually is,  folding on the turn after you were raised when you should have called because you had picked up a flush or straight draw.

You need more than an Ace.  So many players love to play an Ace and any card.  Some do this because of having played the play-chip or micro-limits online,  where it costs nothing or a very tiny amount.  Others remember flopping two pair,  or are convinced a pair of Aces will win if they catch one on the flop.  This can be tempting to do when you have been dealt trash for an extended period of time,  but don’t do it.  You can limp anytime you have an Ace and a suited card,  but if it’s offsuit,  only play AT or better.  If you start playing the other trash hands,  you’ll find yourself paying off the other players who have you out-kicked.

When top pair becomes medium pair.  Very often your top pair on the flop will become a medium pair on the turn.  This is often the case when you have tens or Jacks and a Queen,  King or Ace comes on the turn.  In early position or if no one has bet yet,  you can bet if the game is tight and you believe you can win the pot right there,  representing two pair or a set.  Typically,  though,  because you do not have much in the pot,  check and fold if it is bet to you and you do not have a flush or open-ended straight draw.  (If the pot is big you can call if you hold an inside-straight.)  It takes a lot of discipline to lay down your hand,  but remember,  at low stakes many players love to see the turn so will play any big card hoping to pair up or catch a runner-runner straight or flush.  The betting limits have also gone up on the turn,  so if you are looking at only four outs  (two for trips,  two for the two pair without a pair on the board)  don’t chase.  Your hand is not good anymore,  so lay it down.  You can call on the river,  though,  for the reason stated earlier about avoiding a savvy lay-down.  Some players love to play middle pairs,  or get lucky on the river  --  others just try to represent a hand.  Your former top pair may very well be beat,  but for just one bet you need to call when you’ve bet the flop and turn,  especially if the pot is large.

Know your opponents.  Knowing your opponents is a big part of winning at poker,  and is especially helpful when you are trying to figure out how to proceed with top pair.  Get hand histories when you can see your opponents’ hole cards,  and pay attention in brick-and-mortar games to see what your opponents flipped up on the river.  Is he or she the kind of player that will chase with a middle pair?  Are they out to gamble hoping to catch two running cards for the flush?  Did they bluff by betting and getting called when there was a four-flush showing?  All of this will help you to put better reads on your opponents,  which is especially important when playing a good but not great hand like top pair.

Learn from your mistakes.  Like anything,  poker is something that one gets better at the more one plays it.  Take notes on how you play,  writing down troublesome hands after a session or get a hand history.  Review how you played top pair when you lost,  and learn from the mistakes you made so you don’t repeat them again.

It’s tempting to just forget about lost pots.  After all it’s no fun remembering losing a hand  --  but by doing so and keeping that memory fresh,  you can play the hand better in the future.