Turn
The turn is the fourth community card in Texas Hold'em, dealt alone after the flop betting round. It is also called fourth street.
The turn is the fourth community card, dealt face up on its own after betting on the flop is complete. It is also known as fourth street. A betting round follows, and then only the river remains. Because bets usually grow on each street, turn decisions often involve more chips than anything that happened before.
How the turn works
If at least two players are still in the hand after the flop, the dealer burns a card and deals the turn. Action begins with the first remaining player to the left of the button. In No-Limit Hold'em there is no fixed bet size, but a typical turn bet is larger in absolute terms than the flop bet simply because the pot has grown.
Why the turn is a pressure point
On the flop, a drawing hand has two cards to come. On the turn, only one card remains, so draws lose roughly half their value. Using the rule of 2 and 4, a draw with 9 outs is worth about 36% on the flop when you will see both cards, but only about 18% with one card left. The exact figure is 9 out of 46 unseen cards, or 19.6%.
This changes everyone's decisions. Players with made hands can charge draws more on the turn, and players with draws must be more careful about calling large bets.
Example hand
You hold Q♥ J♥ on a flop of K♥ 7♥ 2♣ and call a bet. The turn is the 4♠. You still have a flush draw, but now with one card to come. The pot is 100 and your opponent bets 75. You must call 75 to win 175, so you need about 30% equity (75 divided by 250). Your draw is worth about 19.6%, so calling is only justified if you expect to win enough extra when you hit, which is what implied odds measure. Had the turn been the T♠, you would have picked up an open-ended straight draw too, giving you 15 outs and roughly a 33% chance on the river.
Turn strategy tips
- Ask what changed. Did the card complete a draw, pair the board or add new draws? A turn card that helps your perceived range is a good card to keep betting.
- Plan for the river before you bet. Know which river cards you will bet, check or give up on.
- Don't autopilot the double barrel. Betting the turn after a flop bet works best with strong hands, good draws and cards that scare your opponent.
- Watch the stack sizes. After a turn bet, the remaining stacks may only allow one more bet, so think about whether you are prepared to go all-in.
Frequently asked questions
Why is it called the turn?
The common explanation is that it is the card where the hand can turn around, but the name's exact origin is unclear. It is also called fourth street.
What are the odds of hitting a flush draw on the turn?
From the flop, a 9-out flush draw hits on the turn 9 times out of 47, about 19.1%. From the turn to the river it is 9 out of 46, about 19.6%.
How many cards are left after the turn?
One: the river, the fifth and final community card.
Related poker terms
- Flop — The flop is the first three community cards dealt face up together in Texas Hold'em, followed by the second betting round of the hand.
- River — The river is the fifth and final community card in Texas Hold'em. After it comes the last betting round and, if needed, the showdown.
- Rule of 2 and 4 — The rule of 2 and 4 estimates your chance of hitting a draw: multiply outs by 4 on the flop (two cards to come) or by 2 on the turn (one card to come).
- Implied Odds — Implied odds count the extra chips you expect to win on later streets when you hit, making some calls profitable despite poor direct pot odds.
- Pot Odds — Pot odds compare the cost of a call to the size of the pot you could win, telling you the minimum equity you need for a call to be profitable.