In Texas Hold’em, the flop, turn and river are the three stages where community cards are added to the table. These cards are shared by all players still involved in the hand and gradually determine the possible poker combinations.
Understanding these three stages is essential because the board can completely change the strength of a player’s hand. A strong starting hand can improve, stay ahead, or become vulnerable as new community cards appear.
In standard Texas Hold’em, each player receives two private hole cards, followed by five community cards: three on the flop, one on the turn and one on the river. There is a betting round after each stage.
What Is the Flop?
The flop is the first three community cards dealt face up after the pre-flop betting round.
For example, suppose a player holds:
A♠ K♠
The flop comes:
K♦ 7♠ 2♣
The player now has a pair of Kings using the King from the flop and the King in their hand.
The flop is important because it gives players much more information about the potential strength of their hands. Players can now see three shared cards and determine whether they have made a pair, two pair, three of a kind, a straight draw, a flush draw, or another combination.
After the flop is dealt, another betting round begins. Players who remain in the hand can generally check, bet, call, raise or fold depending on the action and betting structure.
Why the Flop Matters
The flop can produce several different situations.
A player may already have a strong made hand, such as three of a kind. Another player may have a drawing hand that could become stronger on the turn or river.
For example:
Hole cards: A♥ Q♥
Flop: J♥ 10♥ 4♣
This player does not yet have a completed straight or flush, but has several possibilities for improving on later streets.
The flop can also introduce potential hands that opponents may have. A coordinated board containing connected cards or multiple cards of the same suit can create straight and flush possibilities.
The key point is that the flop is not the final result. Two more community cards can still change the hand.
What Is the Turn?
The turn is the fourth community card dealt after the flop betting round has finished.
Using the previous example:
Hole cards: A♥ Q♥
Flop: J♥ 10♥ 4♣
Turn: K♥
The turn dramatically changes the possibilities because the player now has five cards that can be considered together when forming the best five-card poker hand.
The turn is sometimes called Fourth Street. Once the turn card is revealed, another betting round takes place.
The turn can:
- Complete a straight
- Complete a flush
- Improve a pair into two pair
- Create three of a kind
- Introduce new drawing possibilities
- Change which hands are potentially strongest
Because only one community card remains after the turn, the information available to players is more complete than it was on the flop.
What Is the River?
The river is the fifth and final community card in Texas Hold’em.
After the turn betting round is completed, the river is placed face up. This creates the complete five-card community board.
For example:
Hole cards: A♠ Q♠
Flop: Q♦ 8♠ 4♠
Turn: 7♣
River: 2♥
The player has a pair of Queens, and there are no additional community cards to come.
After the river is dealt, the final betting round takes place. If more than one player remains after that betting round, the hand proceeds to showdown and the players compare their best five-card hands.
How the Five Community Cards Work
One of the most important Texas Hold’em rules is that players can use the five community cards together with their two hole cards to create the best possible five-card hand.
Players do not have to use both hole cards.
For example, a player could use:
- Both hole cards and three community cards
- One hole card and four community cards
- All five community cards
The best five-card combination available determines the player’s hand at showdown.
This means a player can sometimes have the same five-card hand as another player even when their hole cards are different.
Flop vs Turn vs River
The three stages have different positions in the hand:
| Stage | Community Cards | Betting Round |
| Pre-flop | 0 | First |
| Flop | 3 | Second |
| Turn | 4 | Third |
| River | 5 | Fourth |
The flop introduces the first three community cards at once. The turn adds one more card, while the river adds the fifth and final card.
What Is a Burn Card?
In standard live dealing procedures, a card is burned before the flop, turn and river are dealt. A burn card is placed face down and removed from play before the next community card or cards are exposed.
The purpose is to prevent players from gaining information from accidentally seeing the next card. PokerStars’ dealing guide describes the burn-card procedure between the major dealing stages.
In online poker, the software handles this process automatically.
How Betting Changes After Each Street
The betting structure continues throughout the hand, but the available information increases after every community-card stage.
Pre-flop: Players make decisions using only their two hole cards and the betting action.
Flop: Three community cards are visible, giving players their first look at the shared board.
Turn: A fourth community card adds another piece of information.
River: The final community card is revealed, and players make their last betting decisions.
If all but one player folds at any stage, the remaining player wins the pot without needing to show their cards. If multiple players remain after the final betting round, the hand goes to showdown.
How a Hand Can Change From Flop to River
Consider this example:
Player’s hole cards: 8♠ 8♦
Flop: 8♣ K♥ 3♠
The player has three of a kind.
Turn: 10♣
The hand remains three of a kind.
River: K♠
Now the board contains two Kings and the player has three Eights. The player’s best five-card hand becomes a full house: Eights full of Kings.
This example shows why the river can have a major effect on the final result. A community card can improve one player’s hand or create a stronger possible combination for an opponent.
What Happens After the River?
Once the river betting round ends, there are two possibilities.
If only one player remains, that player wins the pot.
If two or more players remain, the hand reaches showdown. Players reveal their hole cards and the best five-card poker hand wins. If players have identical hands, the pot is divided according to the applicable rules.
Common Mistakes About the Flop, Turn and River
One common mistake is thinking that players must use both hole cards. They do not. Any combination of the seven available cards can be used to make the best five-card hand.
Another mistake is treating the flop as the final hand. Two additional community cards are still coming unless the hand ends earlier because everyone else folds.
Players can also overlook how much the turn and river can change the board. A hand that looks strong on the flop may become less secure when a straight, flush, or full-house possibility appears.
Finally, the river is not another chance to receive a community card after the final betting round. It is the fifth and final community card, followed by the last betting round.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many cards are on the flop?
The flop contains three community cards, all dealt face up at the same time.
What is the turn in Texas Hold’em?
The turn is the fourth community card and is followed by the third post-flop betting round.
What is the river in poker?
The river is the fifth and final community card. A final betting round follows it.
Can I use all five community cards?
Yes. If the five community cards form your best possible five-card hand, you can use all five and none of your hole cards.
Do you have to use one of your hole cards?
No. Texas Hold’em allows you to use any combination of your two hole cards and the five community cards.
What happens after the river?
After the final betting round, any remaining players go to showdown. The best five-card poker hand wins the pot unless everyone except one player has already folded.
Final Thought
The flop, turn and river form the core of the community-card action in Texas Hold’em. The flop reveals the first three shared cards, the turn adds the fourth, and the river completes the five-card board.
Each stage gives players more information while also creating new possibilities. Understanding how these streets work makes it easier to follow the betting action, recognize potential draws and understand how the final five-card hand is formed.