laying down TPTK

it seems its just so hard for me to do this...

I always think someone has top pair second kicker or something..

I guess im wondering, is it more profitable to lay down this hand when u encounter maybe a check raise and then a big bet, or a raise and a big bet... even though sometimes you will have the strongest hand?

Give your opponent credit sometimes... Think about what their bet means, and say it verbally.

Example:

You have AQs in mid position, and raise 3xbb with 2 callers.

Flop is Q74 rainbow.

You bet out 4xbb and get 1 smooth caller and 1 folder.

Turn is 2

You bet out 4-5xbb and the smooth caller sharply raises you to 10xbb.

Why would he do this?? Is he trying to bluff? Probably not... Does he have KQs? Probably not since he would have most likely raised the flop bet. He is telling you with his bet that "I know you have top pair good kicker, and I can beat that."

Save your chips for a better hand and fold.

I need to start laying doen TPTK more. Thats where a majority of my losses come from. But in that situation i dont know if you should fold or not. The only hands he could have you with are 7-7 or 4-4. I dont see why he would call with Q-7 unless you got a good read on him and he plays loose. I think with 7-7 or 4-4 if he thought you had top pair good kicker he would likely let you keep betting at it. He might have AQ also but he should've raised with AA, KK, or QQ.

I think it is that kind of logic that makes me lose so much with TPTK though.