Community Cards
Cards dealt face-up in the center of the table that all players share. In Texas Hold'em, there are five community cards.
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What Is Community Cards?
Community cards are dealt in three stages -- the flop (three cards), the turn (one card), and the river (one card) -- with a round of betting following each stage. Every player still in the hand combines their own hole cards with the community cards to make the best possible five-card poker hand at showdown. Community card games like Texas Hold'em and Omaha differ from games like seven-card stud, where each player receives their own individual set of cards rather than sharing a communal board.
Examples
A player holding pocket aces and a board of K-Q-J-10-9 must use the community cards to complete the best possible straight.
In Omaha, players must use exactly two of their own hole cards combined with three community cards.
Strategy Tips
Always evaluate your hand relative to the community cards and consider how they interact with likely opponent ranges, not just your own hole cards in isolation. Understand the specific rules for your game variant, since Texas Hold'em allows any combination of hole and community cards while Omaha requires exactly two hole cards. Track how each new community card changes the range of possible hands for both you and your opponents. Use the community cards to identify potential straights, flushes, and paired boards that could threaten your hand.