Poker info V
In community card poker games, sometimes there is a condition where a player or hand is considered to have counterfeited when a commonly shared card not only does not improve the player’s hand value but makes it certain that his opponent will end up winning. This situation mainly occurs in the high/low split game variation of Omaha hold ‘em.
Counterfeiting occurs most generally when a person is holding a nut low hand, which is considered to be the best possible low hand. So if one player holds a hand of an ace of spades, 3 of clubs, jack and queen of diamonds; the second player holds the ace of clubs, 2 and 9 of diamonds and jack of spades; and the third player has a hand of 9, 10, king and ace of hearts; and the flop round gives such cards as the 6, 7 and 8 of hearts, then evidently the third player has a 10-high hand of straight flush while the other two players are vying for the bottom half of the pot. It can be calculated that the second player has the nut low hand of 8, 7, 6, 2 and ace where the first player holds 8,7,6,3 and an ace. Now if in the turn round the card dealt is 2 of clubs, the two players’ hands get changed. Now the first player has the nut low of 7,6,3,2 and ace against his opponent’s 8, 7, 6, 2 and ace. Thus the turn card has improved the first player’s hand making it a nut low and the second player cannot hope to win the pot unless he gets a 3 card in river which makes it a case of counterfeiting whereby both he and his opponent will be holding 7,6,3,2 and ace and splitting the pot. Incidentally none of the two players will be holding the nut low hand which would be 6,4,3,2 and ace. If the flop cards are 8, 7 and 6 then with a hand of an ace, 2, 3 and 4, a player virtually cannot be counterfeited allowing him to play boldly.
