Poker concept

What is River in Poker? Definition & Examples

Here's a clear definition with real-hand context, plus how it connects to the rest of your strategy.

Quick answer

River — The fifth and final community card.

In more detail

Last decision point. Bets here are usually polarised: nuts or bluff. Calling stations cost themselves the most on the river by paying off value bets.

Common questions

What does River mean in poker?

Last decision point. Bets here are usually polarised: nuts or bluff. Calling stations cost themselves the most on the river by paying off value bets.

Related terms

Action
Your turn to act, or the overall betting activity in a hand.
Bad Beat
Losing a hand where you were a heavy statistical favorite.
Board
The community cards dealt face-up in the middle of the table.
Cooler
A hand where two players have very strong holdings — unavoidable losses happen.

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