The term ‘board’ refers to the completed community cards in a Hold’em game of poker and Omaha, i.e., the flop, turn, and river cards.
What is a board in poker?
In poker, the “board” refers to the community cards that are dealt face up in the center of the table. These cards are shared by all players and are used in combination with their hole cards to form the best possible hand. The board consists of several community cards that are dealt over multiple betting rounds.
The board is typically dealt in stages:
The Flop: After the first betting round, three community cards are dealt face up. This is called the flop. Players use these three cards in combination with their two hole cards to make the best possible hand.
The Turn: After the second betting round following the flop, a fourth community card is dealt face up. This is called the turn. Players now have four community cards and two hole cards to consider when making their best hand.
The River: After the third betting round following the turn, a fifth and final community card is dealt face up. This is called the river. Now, players have all five community cards and their two hole cards to create the strongest hand possible.
Once the river card is dealt, there is a final betting round, and if there are two or more players remaining in the hand after the betting, a showdown occurs. At the showdown, players reveal their hole cards and use them in combination with the five community cards on the board to determine the best five-card hand. The player with the best hand wins the pot.
The board is a critical aspect of poker, as it provides the common information that all players use to evaluate the strength of their hands and make strategic decisions during the betting rounds.