live 1-1 NL game

[chisness]

i very rarely play live and i very rarely play NL cash games -- this was a live 8 handed game at my house

UTG opens for 6, folded to me in BB with AQo, i call

UTG has tight opening standards but would also certainly make a smaller raise with a very premium hand

flop A57, i check, he bets 5, i make it 15, he calls

turn A, i bet 20, he calls

river 6, i bet 40, he debates and mucks AJ face up

my image was pretty tight and i think he had me on a set -- was my river bet too big, do i use this type of river bet to set up big bluffs in future, is betting small or even checking this river hoping to get raised good?

What were the stack sizes and what was your image at the table?

If the $40 almost put him all-in, I don't mind it. If he had a pretty deep stack, I like to underbet the pot (~$10) looking for a raise. The underbet forces him to reach for chips and with a hand that strong, if he goes into his stack he will almost certainly come out raising.