Counterfeit
To counterfeit a hand is to have its value cancelled because the board makes a better version of the same hand.
The simple explanation
A hand is counterfeited when new board cards duplicate part of it, leaving your hand weaker than it seemed. A common example is two pair that loses value when the board pairs. Watch for board pairs when you hold a weak two pair.
A closer look
For instance, if you hold ace-six on a flop of ace-ten-six, you have two pair, aces and sixes. If the turn is another ten, your best hand is now aces and tens with a six kicker, and a hand such as ace-king has a better kicker. Counterfeiting also matters in lowball games, where a card that duplicates a low card ruins the hand. Counterfeiting can also work in your favor when it cancels part of an opponent's hand.
A practical example
Player B flops two pair with ace-six on an ace-ten-six board, but the turn brings another ten. Player B is counterfeited, and Player A's ace-king now has the better kicker.
Full explanation
To counterfeit a hand is to have its value cancelled because the board makes a better version of the same hand.
A hand is counterfeited when a board card makes the board itself hold a hand better than the player’s cards. The player’s hand loses value because the card they held is now on the board as well.
It usually affects two pair, low sets and low straights. In each case, the board repeats a rank that the player was relying on, so the board now supplies what the player thought was special.
The kicker often matters afterward, because everyone now plays the board’s pairs and compares the remaining card. A hand with a good kicker, like ace-king, then beats a hand with a poor one.
Counterfeiting is one reason players with low two pair are careful on boards that may pair.
In lowball games, a card that duplicates one in your hand can ruin a low draw.
A counterfeited hand
No-limit Hold’em · Blinds 1/2 chips · No rake
The blinds are 1 and 2 chips. Heads-up, the dealer (D) also posts the small blind.
Read the example transcript
Player A has the button (BTN) and posts the 1-chip small blind (SB). Player B posts the 2-chip big blind (BB).
- Preflop · Pot: 3 chips
The blinds are 1 and 2 chips. Heads-up, the dealer (D) also posts the small blind.
- Player A BTN / SB AAce of hearts (Ah)KKing of diamonds (Kd) · Stack 199 · In this round 1
- Player B BB AAce of spades (As)66 of clubs (6c) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
- Preflop · Pot: 8 chips
Player A raises to 6 before the flop.
- Player A BTN / SB AAce of hearts (Ah)KKing of diamonds (Kd) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
- Player B BB AAce of spades (As)66 of clubs (6c) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
- Preflop · Pot: 12 chips
Player B calls. Each player has put in 6 chips.
- Player A BTN / SB AAce of hearts (Ah)KKing of diamonds (Kd) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
- Player B BB AAce of spades (As)66 of clubs (6c) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
- Flop · Pot: 12 chips
The flop gives Player B two pair, aces and sixes. Player A has a pair of aces with a king.
Board: AAce of diamonds (Ad)1010 of clubs (Tc)66 of hearts (6h)
- Player A BTN / SB AAce of hearts (Ah)KKing of diamonds (Kd) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
- Player B BB AAce of spades (As)66 of clubs (6c) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
- Flop · Pot: 12 chips
Player B checks.
Board: AAce of diamonds (Ad)1010 of clubs (Tc)66 of hearts (6h)
- Player A BTN / SB AAce of hearts (Ah)KKing of diamonds (Kd) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
- Player B BB AAce of spades (As)66 of clubs (6c) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
- Flop · Pot: 12 chips
Player A checks.
Board: AAce of diamonds (Ad)1010 of clubs (Tc)66 of hearts (6h)
- Player A BTN / SB AAce of hearts (Ah)KKing of diamonds (Kd) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
- Player B BB AAce of spades (As)66 of clubs (6c) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
- Turn · Pot: 12 chips
The turn is another ten. The board now has two pair, aces and tens, and Player B's sixes no longer help. His hand is counterfeited, and Player A's king plays as the better kicker.
Board: AAce of diamonds (Ad)1010 of clubs (Tc)66 of hearts (6h)1010 of diamonds (Td)
- Player A BTN / SB AAce of hearts (Ah)KKing of diamonds (Kd) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
- Player B BB AAce of spades (As)66 of clubs (6c) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
Cards are shown for learning; totals are displayed before pot collection.