Mid-Game pegging is Important!

This is a hand I played from a tournament out in Reno. It sticks with me because it baffled my opponent and even prompted him to ask why I did it. I told him I am writing a book, He said he will be my first sale.

  

In this game I was the Pone, ahead on third street by 12 points, I have 2, 3, 4, 6 in my hand and a K was cut. I do the "typical" lead from my hand and lead the 3, the dealer played the "typical" response and follows with a face card. Thinking that my hand is not all that great, I want to protect my lead. So, I play away from the 15 by playing the 6 for 19 thinking that he would play another face and I could make the 31. Well HE thinks that I must not have a 2 (for 15) or a face card (safe play because he can't make a pair), so he plays a 2 for 21, because it should be a "safe" play. I pair his 2 for 23 and he no longer has any idea what I am doing. He plays a 3, because he has too, making the count 26. I play my 4 for 30, and a run of three, to which he says "GO" and then he ends the hand by playing the last card, a face.

HIM

Thirteen	Twenty-one	Twenty-six	Last card for one
Six	Nineteen	Twenty-three for two	Thirty, run for three and GO for one

ME

 

At the end of the play the totals were, Him 1, Me 6. If I play this hand like I "should", I play the 2 for 15, he pairs me for 2 (17), I play the 6 (23) and he plays the 3 (26) I play the 4 for 30 and the "GO" and he scores the last card. Him 3, Me 3. It does not seem like a big difference in total points pegged but there is an advantage in that I now have him confused about what I will play next.

Pegging to Win, Con't