Playing 1/2NL at Parx. Relatively new to table, sat down maybe 45 minutes prior. Currently I have a TAG, possibly NIT image. Table is mostly deep (100-400BB).

Hero: been a bit card dead, relatively straightforward table image but I tend to LAG once I feel out the table. Before this deal I told myself I'm going to begin playing more LAG.

Hand:
$4 Live straddle. UTG limps.

V1 utg+1 (180): Another relatively young player opens for $12.

Folds to hero.
Hero OTB (200): Young, black, mostly unknown but positive player. First 3-bet since sitting down to $30.

Folds to V1 who tanks a second, calls.

Flop (70) - 10 5 2 rainbow

V1 checks.
Hero cbets 25. Read-based undersizing.

Turn (120) - A

V1 checks.
Hero tanks, looks a bit coolered by the ace, checks back.

River (120) - brick.

V1 checks.
Hero looks still uneasy, takes a minute to obviously size bet in relation to pot (in reality I knew exactly what I was betting before the card hit, aside from shoving any bet). 75 goes in.
V1 tanks, tanks, calls.

I show my set, he mucks.

Reads:
Now before people tell me how bad I am for making such a weak bet OTF, checking the turn. He was dead scared after the 3 bet, so I put him on AQs+, 22-88. I cbet OTF less than normal to keep him in without raising alarms. Also convey some weakness for my river bet and possibly get him to bet into me OTT and get it in sooner.

OTT I normally love this ace, and would bet again so I can shove the river. But he obviously didn't hit how he wanted. His check makes me revise his scared range to bottom/mid pair, Kx, Qx only. He's folding to any bet.

OTR he's still obviously worried. I know I have him, know he wants to fold to a good bet. I knew I wanted 75, but made it look like I was doing serious math. It would leave him wondering why I didn't shove, will I fold to a shove, at the very least flatting is attractive. He tanks for a minute, figures I'm probably stealing. I know he's calling this bet, in this situation, against me, shove would be a bonus.

Those were my reads. Thoughts, corrections, line checks welcome.

I hate slow playing but checking flop here is fine since u have top set, board is dry, and there's enough in the pot that u can get it in on river by betting turn and river. Dont give off false tells, anyone halfway competent who plays wih u long enough will figure out what ur doing

As played line is fine

I'd prob 3-bet preflop slightly a couple bucks more but it's not a huge deal. As for the flop, I do like making a small bet like you did. Checking sucks because overcards on the turn on the turn are more likely to scare one of the many PPs in his range than to connect with bare overs he has on the flop; he'll probably peel pretty lightly here against your obvious AK but not so much on a paint turn, yknow? Plus you'll have unpaired overs here most of the time so if you're checking sets and c-betting air your range will be all kinds of wonky. The only criticism I have is that your sizing is a little too small. You need to take the stack/pot sizes on future streets into consideration. When you bet 25 into 70, the pot will be 120 with 125 effective stacks, which is a pretty awkward spot to put yourself in. Even if you just bet like 35 it's now a pot of 140 with 115 effective stacks which is much more manageable. 40 and it's a pot of 160 with 105 effective stacks, which is my preference.

As played I like your turn/river line but I think you handcuffed yourself with your flop play. If you bet 40 on the flop you can shove the majority of turns, EZ game. And if you want to get tricksy and check the turn to try to induce, you can still jam the river if he doesn't bite rather than having to bet awkwardly small.

Stop doing this. Just look the same all the time.

Yeah as far as physical reaction, I am the headphones starting off type so I don't do this often. I felt he needed the reassurance in this case so I offered.

I wholly agree with the the bet suggestion OTF of 40+. FWIW I was raising any turn bet.

Bet. The. Turn.

99.999999% of the time I agree with this statement. He was 110% folding with a 10% margin of error to ANY turn bet.

My plan OTF was check or raise any turn. Bet/raise near any river.