Right after registration closes in a $50 MTT, playing 200/400, I have around 14k.

Preflop: One UTG+1 limps, I make it 1100 with QQ in MP, Button (a player I know is creative/a solid thinking player, with a similar stack as me) calls, blinds fold, limper calls.

Flop (3900) 10 9 5 :
Checks to me, I bet 1500, Button calls, UTG+1 fold.

Turn (6900) 6:
Check, check.

River (6900) J:
I lead for 2500, Button raises to 5500, I fold.

Turn check was probably bad by me, thought process was to under-rep my hand a bit to get a call on the river.
On the river I couldn't put him on anything I could beat after he raises me (maybe something like a rivered 2-pair J10 or J9, or a turned straight), so I fold.
Does he have enough bluffs/one-pair value hands that he's raising river with to warrant a call there? Another consideration is that I leveled myself by checking the turn trying to under-rep my QQ.

Thoughts?

I'd size up on the flop, you'd really like to get heads-up.

Turn I think I would bet again. The 6 only completes the 87 straight and there are now lots of cards you really don't want to see on the river. So I'd put in a nice sized bet there and if you're beat, he'll let you know. It also helps you define his range a bit better and denies equity to hands like KQ that might float a small flop bet.

River is now a tough spot. You have blockers to KQ but can't eliminate it from his range, and the J completes some 2p hands that called a small flop bet (JT/J9). But since you've under-repped your hand as played I think the river is a x/call. I don't understand the bet there at all.

Sent from my SM-G920W8 using Tapatalk

Agreed.
AP you can't really fold to what is basically a minraise.

I considered checking river, but didn't want to be in a weird spot facing a 5k-6k sized bet on the river, so I went with a blocker-style bet. And when I get raised I just can't find many hands that I can beat. Yes, I know it's basically a min-raise, but does he have enough bluffs/semi-bluffs in that spot that I have to call?

Blockers on the river are hard to use properly. They're useful if you're worried villain will make a large bet but isn't the kind of player to bluff-raise if he senses a weak bet. In this spot I think your hand is pretty strong and under-repped, so I would prefer to give him a chance to bet the river with his entire range. But I could see the argument for both approaches.

Sent from my SM-G920W8 using Tapatalk

IMHO:

1st mistake: your preflop raise sizing is way to small and give a "creative and ip player" the opportunity to flat pre and outplay you or to beat you with a very wide range: suited connectors and one gappers, 109ss+ all the way up to any pairs (which can defo make sets on that run out). To prevent him getting a marvellous price and to potentially outplay you with weaker holdings ipp, go at least for a 4x bb raise MP.

2nd mistake: If you are not willing to extract value from 9x, 10x or draws on the turn, which is acceptable for pot control, then follow true on the river and put you self in x/c river mode. There s no point on betting that river after having x turn. Some draws hit turn and other draws hit the river. Just x/c river

Resume: work on your value raise sizing pre oop and try not to complicate your thinking process by making some weird and non efficient blocking bet otr

cheers tho and gg

Thanks 4 your thoughts.

Regarding the preflop sizing, the table was generally playing pretty tight, and standard pre raising sizing was around 2.5x-3x. I dont really need to play a bloated pot, and generally I feel comfortable making decisions post flop.

In this case I think I leveled myself trying to "out-think/out-create" the other player. But you're right AP it should be a x/call all day.
Thanks!

yeah flop bet should be larger
rest seems ok

you can bluff jam this hand occasionally I guess

get your numbers up and bet that turn