The river is the fifth and final community card in Texas Hold’em and Omaha, and the last betting round that follows it. A hand unfolds in stages: three cards on the flop, a fourth card called the turn and then the river. Once the final round of betting is complete, any remaining players go to showdown. In seven-card stud, the last card, dealt face down, is also called the river, or seventh street.
Because nothing can change after it, the river is where hands are decided and where bluffs and value bets tend to be largest. Phrases such as “rivered” describe a player who wins by hitting the final card. For operators of online or live dealer poker, clear stage labels and accurate hand histories make it easy to review what happened on each street.