Is a push OK here?

[GatorJH]

villian was fairly tight and had gotten lucky with several hands. I think my only shot at this hand is to push. Good or Bad idea?

Poker Stars
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t75/t150
6 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: t2930
UTG+1: t2210
CO: t2335
Button: t1605
SB: t765
Hero: t3655

Pre-flop: (6 players) Hero is BB with J 5
UTG folds, UTG+1 calls t150, 3 folds, 3 folds, Hero checks.

Flop: 5 Q 6 (t375, 2 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 checks.

Turn: 2 (t375, 2 players)
Hero bets t300, UTG+1 calls t300.

River: 7 (t975, 2 players)

Hero ????

[Scuba Chuck]

You may actually rate to be ahead here. Although, given your read, I think you may also be way behind (meaning only two hands I'm likely worried about). I know my line here, but what does pushing accomplish if you're either already ahead, and or way behind?

[GatorJH]

He had a pattern of staying with hands until the turn or river then either, check raising when he hit something or folding when he missed.

With this hand I felt like he was either on some sort of draw or had a holding like A6s because he took a long time to call my bet on the turn. The only time he called any significant bet was when he flopped 2 pair so I felt like push would be daring him to put his tournament on the line and may even get him to fold a hand like KQ.

My other thought was to just push 1,800 chips in which would have just been enough to put him all-in.

The net was that after his call on the turn I think I am behind, but that his hand wasn't strong enough to warrent an all-in call.

Had he been more aggressive I certainly would have checked this down so I guess this is also as much of a read as anything.

[Scuba Chuck]

Then, the only question you have to ask yourself is, will he bluff if you check to him? Will he call with a hand better than a pair of fives? Will he fold a Q? But I think the first question is most important, because I doubt he will call with just ace high.

[GatorJH]

I was over 90% certain that if I checked, he would check behind me.

[Scuba Chuck]

I was over 90% certain that if I checked, he would check behind me.

Then I'm guessing you have him beat. This is really one of those strange spots where I think checking here is correct then.

[GatorJH]

I was over 90% certain that if I checked, he would check behind me.

Then I'm guessing you have him beat. This is really one of those strange spots where I think checking here is correct then.

At the time I wasn't so sure I was ahead due to his call of my bet on the turn. The pot was sitting at 975 chips and I didn't want to lose those if he turns over some weak holding that was slightly better than mine. I really didn't think he had Qx because he would have raised on the turn so my confidence level was up to about 75%. Does this support a call or push to take it down? I don't know.

With all of that said, I felt that he would fold to a push with the Q out there and his tournament on the line so I pushed, he thought for a while then folded.

The following comments were made after that:

Hero said, "good laydown"
UTG+1 said, "was on the fence"
Hero said, "if you were on the fence I had you beat" (I'm not sure I did, but wanted him to believe I had a big hand)

[Scuba Chuck]

Based on those comments, it sounds like he had a pair of 9s (or something or other).

[GatorJH]

That is what I thought as well.

Thanks for all of the input Chuck.