What is a bluff in poker?
A bluff is when a player bets or raises with a weaker hand in order to make stronger hands fold.
Read MorePoker FAQ
Understanding the Final Betting Round:The River in Texas Hold'em
The River in Texas Hold'em marks the final betting round after the fifth community card is dealt.
Decisions on the river
Evaluate the best five-card hand you can make from your two hole cards and the board. You may use both hole cards, one, or neither. Consider which hands your opponent could hold rather than assuming that a strong-looking hand must be the winner.
The legal actions depend on the wager facing you, not simply on reaching the river. With no outstanding bet, you may check or bet. Facing a bet, you may fold, call, or raise when allowed. All-in is a way of committing your remaining chips, not a compulsory river action.
01
Read the complete board
Notice whether the final card allows straights, flushes, or paired-board hands. An improved hand is not automatically the strongest possible hand. Base comparisons on the best five cards, and do not count a sixth card as a tiebreaker.
02
Follow the action
Post-flop action begins with the first active player clockwise from the button. Acting later may provide information about earlier decisions, but a bet does not prove that an opponent has a strong hand: players may bet for value or bluff. A player already all-in cannot take another betting action.
03
Understand how the hand ends
If all opponents fold, the remaining player wins the pot immediately. If more than one player remains when the betting is complete, compare the eligible players' hands at showdown. Identical best five-card hands share the pot, and suits do not decide the winner.
Related concepts
How do you use your seat position in poker?
Seat position tells you when you act relative to other players. Acting later lets you observe more actions before deciding; acting earlier gives you less information. Consider position together with your cards, the betting action and stack sizes. Position does not guarantee a winning hand.
Read MoreWhat is range in poker?
A range is the group of possible hands a player could have in a given situation.
Read MoreContinue learning
Review the action rules and hand rankings before studying more advanced decisions.