I play various 1/3 NL games (Deeper stacks- typically 300-1000$ in a stack).
I've found an unusual pattern emerging. I play with a lot of older players, veterans, etc., and there is a tendency I've noticed where they will call fairly large raises very light pre-flop with very marginal holdings (K7o, A8o, 68 etc), but then play extremely scared after the flop. The pattern keeps repeating where they will call with such hands, flop a very strong hand, like 2 pair, and just check call all the way down, or even check back rivers, never betting or raising. It's very confusing to play against, because you often find yourself with hands like AQ with boards like Q7592 and an opponent who has Q7 and just check called the whole way down, or even called a bet on flop and turn, and when you check river, checks behind you. I feel like when they don't have a strong hand, you miss a lot of value by not aggressively betting, because they will play, say Q4, on that same board the exact same way they would play Q7 on that board. It's tough to eliminate hands out of their "range", because their ranges are so wide, and its tough to pinpoint how strong their hand is, because they have no desire to maximize their profit, and are scared to make any aggressive moves, with strong 2 pair type hands, but are willing to call off their whole stack if you bet aggressively.

Any tips on how to navigate these players other than just to continue being aggressive and hoping they have more weak holdings than strong ones? So far, I've mostly been betting strong on flop and turn, and if they call both streets, slow down on the river, but I feel like I might be missing a ton of value when they have weaker holdings. It always feels like its 50/50 as to whether they hit 1 pair no kicker, or 2 pair. I've just had soooo many strong top pair-top kicker hands losing tons of money to Kx type hands where they flop 2 pair and literally never raise or bet.

Thanks.

Not sure why you seem to find this game hard while you describe this game as one of the softest games there can possibly be.

If they're wide pre and scared post, you just bluff them post-flop.
When they call, you know they're strong.
When they fold, you pick up easy money, they should be folding a ton with a wide range.

If either of those is not true, then your description of the game is insufficient or wrong.

Maybe go study the streets of value concept a bit and think about how it applies in your games.

Agree with Yeodan. In the games I play, top pair, top kicker is a two street hand. That means I'm checking the flop, turn or river. Sounds like you're just blasting away on every street.

1) If they reliably call down light then bet bigger and don't stop firing when you flop top 2 pair or better.

2) If they're willing to check/call all the way with both top pair no kicker and two pair, assess both the scare cards that are out and the likelyhood of being up agiainst 2 pair to decide whether or not you want to keep firing with a hand like tptk.

For example, say you have AQ and the board comes A J T, 6, 5. Bet the flop and turn, but don't fire on the river. Your opponent could easily have two pair with a hand like JT or A6, but is afraid to raise thinking you might have a straight or bigger two pair; he could also have a busted draw like 98 or two random s that he won't pay off with anyway.

On the other hand if you have AQ and the board comes Q 8 4, 6, 4. Value bet this the whole way. Bigger 2 pairs, trips 4s, boats, and turned straights while possible, are a lot less likely holdings than stuff like top pair KQ through Q9, plus, even passive players will raise huge hands before the river a good percentage of the time.

3) After raising pre, when you miss the flop or flop something like a flush draw, put out a flop continuation bet as even loose/passive opponents will fold when the completely miss. If they call your flop bet and you don't improve on the turn, check and hope you see a free river. If you don't improve on the river check again. Often they'll have a busted draw that they won't bluff with when they miss.

Just my opinion...