the hardest hands to play

I've been playing at Pokerroom.com for months now and I've gotten to a point where I can keep my variance low. (I can outplay the slowplays and can read people with little to no problem).

But my one weak spot is the top pair/top kicker (or just top pair).
I end up losing a lot of money on these hands.
Another hand I have a hard time with is when I'm holding a third card to a paired flop. I'm usually afraid of someone holding a boat.

Most of the time when I make a bet on the flop with these kinds of hands, it gets called or I face a violent re-raise.

The only time I've actually won with hands like these is when I was in late position and my raise folds everyone at the table.

All in all, though, I don't win a lot of money with these hands.
What's the best way to play them?

Post some hand histories and your reads and we'll help you through.

-'rilla

In general -

Top pair top kicker I will bet pretty hard from any seat. If you are re-raised give it a little thought. It's up to you what you do from there. I find that at the tables I play, it holds up fairly well and I usually make money off of it. You'd be surprised how often you're getting re-raised by someone with top pair and a weak kicker, or even a guy with a flush draw or some such.

Pair on the board and you hold a 3rd: you can't be too scared. Yes, sometimes you will lose your money here. Most times though, even at a full table, you're the only one with the set. This becomes much more true the lower the board pair is. A pair of sixes out and you hold 6-x? Bet it out. All I can tell you is, if you become afraid that you really are beat, either give it up or just try to minimize the damage. Flat call, don't raise anything.

Another thing is, a lot of aggressive players bet like crazy on board pairs to represent the trips. Position comes into play here. This situation is tailor-made for the checkraise (a play I have come to loathe, but it has its uses). If you are playing with a couple aggressives and you know someone WILL bet at least something, check it and wait. Any bet that comes down, raise it dramatically. The point here is to steal position; by them betting into the pot, you get position on them temporarily. Ideally they will fold here and the play succeeds. Conditions: 1. you have to be pretty darn sure of that first bet, otherwise they get a free card. There's a big difference between check-raising on the flop, and slowplaying it to the turn or river. And that difference is free cards. 2. in the event you get called, I'd say come out firing on the turn. Decide how much more money you're going to invest in this hand and bet it right there. If they raise it, maybe it's time to let it go.