Cards and hands
A hand of Hold’em or Omaha is played in streets: preflop — hole cards only, the flop — three community cards, the turn — the fourth, the river — the fifth. Each street has a betting round, and after the river the remaining players show their cards. That is the showdown.
The order of streets
| Street | What is dealt | Who acts first |
|---|---|---|
| Preflop | Hole cards: 2 in Hold’em, 4–6 in Omaha | The player left of the big blind |
| Flop | Three community cards at once | The first active player left of the button |
| Turn | The fourth community card | The first active player left of the button |
| River | The fifth community card | The first active player left of the button |
| Showdown | Players’ cards | The last player to bet on the river; if nobody bet, the first in order |
Before every street the dealer “burns” — sets aside — the top card of the deck. Online the software does it, but the rule is the same.
Walk through a hand street by street
How the game changes street by street
- The flop is the key street: you see five of seven cards and know whether your hand connected.
- The turn is more expensive: bets usually grow and a draw has only one card left.
- The river is the last chance to bet. Draws have hit or missed, which shapes both bluffs and value bets.
FAQ
Three community cards at once.
Related terms
DrawAn unfinished hand that needs one more card to make a straight or a flush.BlindsThe small and big blind: forced bets posted before the cards are dealt.Dealer buttonThe disc marked D that marks the dealer and sets the order of action.OutsCards left in the deck that improve your hand to a winner.
Every poker term in one place
From check to satellite: short definitions and detailed explanations with card examples.