Getting away from top pair

this may be an easy question, but i sometimes have trouble with it.

Let's say you have A-J, and you flop top pair. under what circumstances do you get away from this hand? and i don't just mean if the flop comes J-10-9 of hearts. I came across this hand tonight, and the flop came something like J-7-2 rainbow, my opponent bet it agressivly, and i stayed with it, turned out he had pocket kings... anyway, do any of you have a good rule of thumb for getting away from top pair.

-n

I'd bet that hand as a winner - top pair with ace kicker is probably ahead and you want to avoid getting outdrawn - he could have 2 pair, AA KK QQ 77 or 22, but balance of probabilities says he hasn't - if you get re-raised, is he a bluffer? has he been re-raising with inferior hands? Have you got pot odds to call? Did his initial bet pattern suggest big pair? 2 many variables in poker to have a "rule of thumb".

only time i get away from top pair after the flop is for 2 things..

1. if there was a pre flop raise and that person bets strong
2. that top pair isnt really high to begin with like havin A-7 and flop is 7/2/3 etc

just my 2 cent

I think Aces is right, the pre-flop action is a big clue. Then combine that with the opponents image and style and you may get away from the TPTK.

Also, what is the positional situation? If he's playing big out of early position then it's easier to give him credit for a big hand.

This is definately one of those times you must be keenly aware of your opponents playing styles as well as your own table image. If your 1st to act, or following a limper or 2, you must bet out. Don't even think of slow playing it. Depending on the texture of the board, your bet should be 1/2 to 3/4 the pot. If your seen as an agressive player who allways follows up a preflop raise and you did so, you may have to bet as much as the pot just to eliminate any pretenders. Now, here's the hard part. You bet the pot, you get one caller, should you check it down? No! If my top pair is solid, 10's or better, a turn bet is warranted. If he raises, fold, if he calls, check the river and be happy if he checks back. If he bet's then you've got a tough descision to make. Texture, pot odds and past history will be factors.

well, in my situation i probably should have gotten away from it. It was in an MTT and i had just gotten moved to the table, so i had no real read on his play. He did raise pre flop, might have even been a reraise. I was planning to fold post flop, but then i thought, 'hey, i have top pair' and i could realisticly have seen him making the same play with A-K or A-Q or even a lower pair, figured at worst he'd have the same pair... anyway, turned out to be a dumb play on my part.

-n

its true, alot of people play AK or AQ like poket AA.
in my opinion, as long as the bets were minimal..theres a good hand there for ya. your gonna run into KK-QQ or smaller poket that triped sometimes..but as a rule you will win this hand on the flop if you bet big..in this case you were dead in the water, but another J or A on the turn or river would of busted his KK...i say play it strong.