bottom set not looking too good!

this is a semi-recent bodog hand...no stats or anything, just general reads based on maybe 40 or so hands.

6 handed 100nl, important stacks:
me (SB, been aggro but no big pots yet) - $110
villain (BB, calling station) - $120
UTG (tight) - $83

Pre flop...Hero has 44
UTG raises to $3, 1 fold, Button calls, I call, BB calls

Flop ($12, 4 players) 4 5 6

Hero bets $8, Villain raises to $16, 2 folds, Hero????

I managed to hit a set, so was trying to stack UTG. Then, mr. uber passive min raises and the pfrer folds - doh! My read is that he isn't doing this with a combo draw, top pair or bluff (he would most likely call with those) - it's either an overpair, str8 or higher set. In the actual hand, I 3bet to $36 and then pushed for about $55 more over his 4bet min raise.

I feel like there's gotta be a better way to play this. What do you think? Try and play a small pot unless making a boat/quads? Is folding to his first min raise an option?

raise to 40, try to get all in

i'd believe 2 pair/overpair over the straight, go for it.

seems like what ur saying is with only 100bb and the fact he might have 2pr or overpair, so go allin...makes sense, but I feel like after he 4bets the flop I'm almost surely facing a str8 or higher set. no?

you raise it to 40, then he pushes, yea your probably beat, but your pot stuck so you still call

I guess there is no way to get away if I do any more betting...

but what about taking a passive line the rest of the way, or like c/c block river, considering it's unlikely he has a draw?

thats a weak line because turns and rivers can ruin your hand and your action. Theres no way you can put him on a better hand just because he minraises you, so your only good option is to repop.

I don't have a problem with just calling here if you think he's really really weak.

i guess with opp as a calling station we dont get much chance to bluff off at a turn diamond? While also getting a chance to see how this plays out.

fnord, not sure what you mean by weak, but he definitely was not raising or into building pots much at all.

miffed, I don't really think I could bluff him except maybe a 4flush board, but definitely like the idea of seeing how it plays out.

But then again that's losing ev versus 2pr/overpair, so maybe I'm just being results oriented (he had 8d7d).

It just felt so automatic to 3bet that flop, but when he insta 4bet, it was a bigtime "ah-oh." I guess it's hard to say if it's worth trying to play only a medium pot.