[GeeBeeQED]

You could all be correct about this villian thinking the hand through and playing reasonably. I think the first thing to be considered (and nobody's mentioned) is how small this game is. This villian could have ATC here. How much credit can you give a player in this kind of game?

I still like the fold and the balance of the advice. I'd have liked a bigger bet post flop than 40 cents. That to me sounds like it's in the spirit of a slow play or a weak fearful value bet. I'd suggest betting the pot here. A call from this level player could still mean anything but I'd sure feel much better about laying the hand down later as it played out if our villian had called a reasonable bet. The .40 was wasted as it doesn't tell you anything, a good player would call this with probably any pair thinking you might have raised with AJ/AQ preflop and was putting out a cont bet. But, how many penny players understand what a C bet is? I'm I being foolish for even mentioning it?

Checking the flop would have been interesting too. This level player can not resist checking a flopped set like this. Can you give the player a set because he checked? NO, it's the weaker play to check here. I like betting much better. But, be careful how much you try to read into a penny player. I say you are wrong less on average if you assume here the player is not thinking much at all, just playing "his" hand as he sees it.

Dave