Flop

The flop is the first three community cards, dealt face up in the middle of the table at once. Every player still in the hand can use them.

When the flop is dealt

After preflop betting ends, the dealer burns one card (puts it aside face down) and turns over three cards. That’s the flop. Next come the turn, the fourth card, and the river, the fifth. The order is always flop, turn, river.

Who bets first after the flop?

The first player still in the hand to the left of the button, usually the small blind, acts first. The button, or the player closest to it, acts last. That’s different from preflop, where the player left of the big blind starts. Full table: betting order.

Why the flop matters

Once the flop is out, you’ve seen five of your seven cards, so most hands take shape here:

• An unpaired hand like A-K pairs at least one of its cards on the flop about 32% of the time.
• A pocket pair flops a set or better about 12% of the time.
• Two suited cards flop a flush draw or a flush about 12% of the time.

Flop terms

• Flopping a hand: making it on the flop, as in “I flopped a set.”
• Dry flop: unconnected cards of different suits, like K♦ 7♣ 2♥. Few draws are possible.
• Wet flop: connected or suited cards with many draws, like J♥ T♥ 8♣.

Learn to read flops in board texture, and check the flop odds for every common hand. Everything before the flop is called preflop; see the preflop charts.