If someone is betting the pot on all streets and you have TPTK on a dry board, do you call down because less hands beat you? Or do you read it as 2 pair or set? TPTK is a hard hand for me sometimes and I seem to be folding around the turn when I'm just being oit betted every street. I hate being in confusing situations and they seem to be lucky with 2 pair or getting max value with a set. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

I try to recognize which players only bet every street if they can beat TPGK. If you obviously have top pair, some players will only bet if they have you beat unless there is a scare card that they think they can use to bluff. There have been times when I have folded TPTK or even an overpair on the flop because a specific player led out from early position in a multi-way pot, which he would never do unless he had me crushed.

Playing TPTK correctly means that sometimes you fold the best hand and sometimes you call a bet from a better hand.

That is gold above ... but very difficult to apply. You don't 'deserve' to win a pot just because you were the PF raiser and connected with the board. Typically at low limit poker things are exactly as they appear to be. That's not to say that sometimes a player will just pick a hand to play back at you, especially if you are active and they just want to slow you down.

As indicated, pay attention to opponent tendencies and board structure. Poker is about winning 'the war' and sometimes that means you walk away from 'a battle' even though it appears you should be in a good spot.

Nobody (at least they shouldn't) knows what you are folding. Just say "Can't catch a 4 for nothing against you" and move on to the next hand. GL

I don't think we confirmed that OP means he is the PFR in these spots? If that is the case then they would be donkbetting all the time which just doesn't happen that often.

More likely OP calls too many raises preflop.

Try not to obsess over the absolute hand strength "top pair, top kicker". Think about your whole range and how your hand matches up relative to what your opponent can have.
The way to play TPTK depends on what the individual situation is. AJ on JT9m facing a check-raise is completely different to A7 on 722r in the BB facing a triple-barrel, or AK on KQ9tt UTG vs CO.

If you often have TPTK in position and you're facing a bet that isn't a donkbet, you're probably calling too often pre-flop, as Kelvis mentioned. I often call with AQ IP, but AK is nearly always a 3-bet. There shouldn't be many combos of AJ/AT (let alone worse Ax) in your IP flatting range.

You are correct ...

1) Could be limp/calling facing c-bet and Turn barrel
2) Could be PF raiser facing donk barrels
3) Could be IP flat with A9 on 964 type board
4) Could be table 'knows' that Hero folds to barrels


Donk betting is very prevalent in my live games. Both as a blocker for draws and for value. These are very wide LAG games. If either or both of the blinds see the Flop then 'there will' be a donk on Flop or Turn a high percentage of the time on a 9-high board. Yes, you would think that this is exploitable .. GL

I wasn't talking hypothetically. I wanted to know how others try to read hands that might be a set or 2 pair. So what would expect if you raised pre and villain sink bets into you. Do you flat call or raise? Pretend you don't behave much info on villain. What would you be your go to? I guess calling flop and trying to check turn?

Facing a donkbet, usually call. My raising range would usually be quite polarized (monsters and draws, with some weak made hands in there too). Top pair is a pretty good bluff-catcher.