Board

The Board in poker refers to the community cards that are dealt face-up on the "table". In games like Texas Hold'em and Omaha, these cards can be used by all players to form their best hand.

What is the Board?

In poker, the Board refers to the community cards that are dealt face-up in the middle of the table. In Texas Hold'em and Omaha, these are the cards that all players can use in combination with their hole cards to make their best five-card poker hand. The Board consists of the flop, the turn, and the river cards.

Reading the Board

Reading the Board is a key skill in poker. It involves assessing the community cards to understand what potential hands can be made. Players must consider the Board in relation to their own hole cards to determine the strength of their hand, as well as consider what potential hands their opponents could have based on the Board.

Considerations When Dealing with the Board

When dealing with the Board, it's important to consider the range of hands that the Board allows. For example, a Board with consecutive cards of the same suit could allow for flushes and straights, while a Board with pairs or triplets could allow for full houses or four of a kind.

Example of "Board"

For instance, if the community cards are 2, 7, Jack, Queen, and King, this is referred to as the Board. Players would then use these cards in combination with their hole cards to form their best possible poker hand.

• "The Board showed 3, 4, and 5 of hearts, increasing the chances of a flush."
• "With an Ace and King in his hand, the Queen, Jack, and 10 on the Board gave him a straight."
• "The Board paired on the river, causing her two pair hand to improve to a full house."

Board in Poker FAQs