QQ / JJ early position

This may sound like a fairly basic question, but it is something I have had real trouble playing in the past few major live events I have played in. Would really appreciate some advice.

Basic question - how do you play this hand from early position pre-flop and post-flop at early stages of a big tournament?

I had QQ no less than 4 times in the first hour at the WSOP this year, each time UTG. Each time I lost a lot of chips - so my confidence is seriously dented.

I have always played this hand by raising 3-4 x BB pre-flop. Invariably there is a caller from LP. Invariably an overcard lands on the flop and I have some tough decisions.

1) Bet out pot-size and risk being put on a standard continuation bet and being re-raised to which I must fold even if they haven't hit the flop (happened twice).

2) Check the flop and then bet the turn if they check (showing some weakness), or re-raise if they bet out in order to find out exactly where I am (normally my preferred option, but cost me a lot more this time).

3) Stand up and scream - "not again, why is there always an over card to my pair on the board". Then muck my hand in anticipation of a bet.

The key thing here is the stage of the tournament where the blinds are very small compared to stack size.

Any constructive advice would be much appreciated!

[Exitonly]

why is your continuation bet pot sized? bet out around half.

Other than that.. that's all i see wrong. And it's not necesarily wrong, just i think not optimal.

[betgo]

If a K hits, you are probably ahead. Most people reraise with AK and KQs, KJs, and KTs might not call. People usually call a raise with a middle pp, AQ, AJ, or a suited connector/gapper. A calling station type player is more likely to have a king than a good player. I would lead out. If you get too much action, you may have to fold.

If an ace hits, you can lead out and be done with it if you don't pick up the pot. You can also check and decide whether to fold, call, or checkraise, depending on your read.

Interestingly I've just had this exact hand in a $300 buy-in MTT. Second hand, UTG, QQ. Raise to 3 x BB and I get one raiser and one caller.

I call.

Flop comes QQ4. Kind of plays itself.....

[pfkaok]

if you feel confident in your postflop play, and your ability to lay down an overpair if you're very likely to be beat, then you can experiment with limping these hands from EP. i do it sometimes now, and i like it, esp against players who aren' totally clueless. decent players will imediately put you on AK, or JJ+ when you raise from EP, so its pretty hard for you to get them to play incorrectly by raising them from EP.

limping might not be correct in most games, and i don't have enough experience with it to even know if i'm doing so correctly, but it feels like its better in some spots. so you might consider messing around with that and see if it fits you at all.