Poker Games - What is Community Card Poker?

Community cards are shared cards used in some poker games. These cards are dealt face up and are shared by all the players.

What are Community Cards

Community cards are also called "shared cards," which is exactly what they are. Community cards are cards that are shared by all the players. In order to do so, the cards are dealt face up on the card table. Although the cards are left in place where all the players can see them, players can use these shared cards to make up the best hands that they can. In order for players to have different hands, players are dealt some face down cards, which are called "hole cards." The community cards may be laid out in a particular pattern, or simply dealt in a straight line. Each game that used community cards has different rules regarding how they may be used, and how many of them may be used to combine with the player's hole cards in order to make up their hand.

Texas Hold'em Poker and Community Cards

Texas Hold'em is not only the most popular poker game today, but is also the most popular poker game that uses community cards. In the Texas Hold'em poker games, community cards are dealt in a simple straight line that is in plain view of all the players. Five community cards are dealt. Players need to make the best possible hand by using any five cards that they choose by using cards from the community cards and from the two cards they have in their hands.

The first three community cards, the flop, are dealt after all players have received their two hole cards. By this time, one betting round has already taken place based on the players' first two cards. After the flop, another betting round takes place. At this time, another community card, the "turn" is dealt face up on the card table. Another betting round ensues, after which the final community card, the "river" is dealt face up on the table. The final betting round takes place, and the showdown begins. Although players do not have to use any of their hole cards to make up their hands, it is very unusual for a player to win without using at least one of their hole cards.

Omaha Hold'em Poker and Community Cards

The main difference between Omaha Hold'em and Texas Hold'em is in the use of community cards. In Omaha Hold'em poker games, players are each dealt four cards face down, and five cards are dealt face up as the community cards. After the appropriate betting rounds, there will be the showdown. At the showdown, players need to show their poker hands, made up of five cards. The important thing to know in Omaha Hold'em poker is that the final five cards making up each player's poker hand must be made up of two of the cards that were dealt for the player's private hand, and three of the community cards. No matter what the player has been dealt in their four face down cards, they must use three of the community cards to make up their five card poker hand.