River Card - Community Card Games

The River (also known as 'river card', 5th Street and Fifth Street) is the name of the fifth and last community card (dealt face up) in community card games such as Texas Holdem and Omaha. These games have a total of five community cards that are dealt, although there are a few variations where this is not the case.

Not all of these 5 board cards are dealt at the same time. Each player is dealt their initial hole cards with an initial round of betting. This is before any board cards are dealt. The first three board cards are then dealt - otherwise referred to as 'the flop' followed by a second round of betting. The fourth community card or 'turn card' is then dealt on it's own and another round of betting. This is when the fifth community card or river card is dealt and a final round of betting. In Omaha and Hold'em there are 4 betting rounds in any one hand (that goes to showdown).

The significance of the river card is that it is the final card that is dealt and players will now know what hand they have made. It's also the last chance for players to stake their claim on the spoils . Players who fish for cards and catch on the river are said to be 'river rats'.