Playing Top Pair Top Kicker in Texas Hold-em

You've been playing in your favorite Texas Hold em game for a few hours when you get dealt your favorite hand, A K. You bet and get called in two places, and the flop comes out A 5 6 of mixed suits. Just what you wanted, right? But how do you proceed? How do you play when you hit top pair with top kicker ?

In limit games you should apply basic Texas Holdem strategy in cases like this. You bet. Not only do you bet, but you keep betting until the board becomes scary enough that it is likely your top pair top kicker is no longer good or you encounter so much resistance that it is clear someone has made a set or two pair. In no limit Texas holdem, the answer is a little more complicated, and it is dependent on where you are in the hand, and the size of your pair.

 You Have a Big Top Pair on a Ragged Board

In the example above, your hand is pretty safe. You are in a position where you don't want to scare away any action. If someone bets in front of you, it's OK to just call, as they could be leading out with any ace. If no one has bet, you probably should put in a bet of some kind, as you want to build the pot and don't want anyone drawing at some kind of crazy hand for free.

You Have Big Top Pair on a Scary Board

 If you have A K and the flop comes A Q Q or A T 9 with two hearts or any other board that is uncomfortable for your hand, you should still lead out with a bet. If you don't and someone else bets, you will have no idea where you are in the hand. Even if you only get flat called, however, you should proceed very carefully, as someone with a monster hand or draw is much more likely to call you than raise you in this situation. If you get raised, you will need to depend on your read. If you bet before the flop, an opponent may raise your post flop bet in the hopes that you are just defending a smaller pair, and that he can get you off the hand with a bet.

You Have Medium Top Pair

 If you have a hand like A 8 and the flop comes 8 3 2, you should be prepared to put in a big bet and end the hand immediately. While you are likely to have the best hand right now, there is almost no card on the deck that will not put you in some kind of jeopardy. In addition, if you bet strongly enough here, you may get someone off a weak overpair like 99 or TT. As always, your actions are dependent on what has gone before. Was there some pre-flop raising? You may be up against a strong overpair and should tread carefully. Are you up against someone who can fold a weak overpair to a strong bet? These are some factors that must be considered.

Top pair top kicker is a nice hand in Texas hold em that can win you some money, but it is far from a hand that plays itself. Remember to stay focused and use the information you have gained to extract the maximum amount, or lose the minimum if someone has hit a lucky flop against you. For more articles on Texas Hold-em rules and much more, check out Learn Texas Hold-em.

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