The flop is the first three community cards, dealt face up in the middle of the table in Texas Hold’em and Omaha. It arrives after the pre-flop betting round, which follows each player receiving their private hole cards: two in hold’em, four in Omaha.
Every player still in the hand can combine the flop with their own cards, and a second betting round follows. The hand then continues with the turn (the fourth card) and the river (the fifth), so the full sequence is pre-flop, flop, turn and river. In hold’em, players often say the flop defines a hand: with five of the seven cards they will use already known, most can judge their chances. A player who “flopped a straight” made it with these first three cards.
The flop in house-banked games
Casino Hold’em brings the flop to games against the house: after seeing it, the player decides whether to call or fold against the dealer.