Community cards are face-up cards dealt in the center of the poker table, shared by all active players to combine with their private hole cards to form the best possible five-card poker hand. These cards are a fundamental element of popular poker variants like Texas Hold’em and Omaha, significantly influencing hand strength and strategic decisions throughout a game.
Example
Imagine you are playing Texas Hold’em and your hole cards are A♠ K♠.
- The Flop (first three community cards): Q♠ J♠ 10♦
- The Turn (fourth community card): 7♣
- The River (fifth and final community card): 2♥
In this scenario, by combining your A♠ K♠ with the community cards Q♠ J♠ 10♦ 7♣ 2♥, your best five-card hand would be A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♦, forming a Royal Flush. This illustrates how players use the shared community cards to complete or improve their hand.
Strategy Tip
Always pay close attention to the community cards as they are revealed. Analyze the board’s texture immediately after the flop, turn, and river to understand its potential implications. Look for possible draws (straight, flush), paired boards, or cards that might give opponents strong hands. This ongoing evaluation helps you calculate your outs, assess the relative strength of your hand against potential opponent holdings, and make informed betting decisions, whether you’re bluffing, value betting, or folding.
FAQ
- How many community cards are there in Texas Hold’em?
There are five community cards in Texas Hold’em, dealt in three stages: the flop (three cards), the turn (one card), and the river (one card).
- What are the different stages of dealing community cards called?
The first three community cards dealt simultaneously are called the “flop.” The fourth community card is known as the “turn,” and the fifth and final community card is the “river.”
- Can multiple players use the same community cards to make their hand?
Yes, absolutely. All active players at the table share and can use any of the five community cards to form their best five-card hand. This often leads to situations where multiple players have strong hands, sometimes even splitting the pot if they have identical best hands.