What is Street in Poker

Introduction

In Poker, the concept of a ‘street’ plays a central role in the game's structure. Knowing how each street influences the progression of the hand is essential to developing strategies, reading opponents, and making calculated decisions.

But what exactly is Poker Street, and why does it matter?

Let’s find out.

What is a Street in Poker?

A ‘street’ is another term for each betting round throughout the hand. Streets are phases in a Poker game where players make bets, call, fold, or raise. Each street corresponds to a specific stage in the hand and represents an opportunity for players to make strategic moves based on new information as more community cards are revealed.

Streets in Texas Hold'em and Omaha

Poker games typically consist of four streets, each associated with a particular betting round. Each street introduces new information that helps players decide on their moves, making the concept of streets essential to mastering poker strategy.

1. Preflop (First Betting Round)

The pre-flop is the first betting round. In this round, players only have their hole cards (two in Hold'em, four in Omaha), and no community cards have been dealt yet. Decisions are based solely on these initial cards and positioning.

Strategies:

• Tight vs Loose Play: Many players adopt a ‘tight’ or selective approach, playing only premium hands (for example - pairs like Aces or Kings) in early positions, while they might open up and play a wider range of hands in later positions (for example - suited connectors, weaker pairs).
• Raising: Aggressive players often raise pre-flop with strong hands to build the pot or to thin the field, pushing weaker hands to fold.
• Position Awareness: Acting last on future streets (the ‘button’ or dealer position) gives an advantage, so players may choose to enter with weaker hands if they act last.

Example: Suppose you have A♠K♣ in an early position. You might choose to raise to narrow the field, ensuring you are only up against opponents with stronger hands if they decide to call or raise back.

2. Flop (Second Betting Round, First Community Cards)

The flop reveals the first three community cards, allowing players to form hands with their hole cards. It’s a crucial street because it’s the first time you have shared information that helps assess the strength of your hand relative to others.

Strategies:

• Flop Texture: Players analyze whether the flop is ‘wet’ (full of potential draws, like suited or connected cards) or ‘dry’ (low chances of straights or flushes forming).
• Continuation Betting: A player who raised preflop might make a continuation bet (c-bet) on the flop, maintaining aggression to signal strength. This can push opponents with weaker hands to fold.
• Drawing Hands: If the flop offers potential for a flush or straight draw, players might continue with a semi-bluff (betting to suggest strength, even though their hand hasn’t hit yet but has the potential to improve).

Example: With A♥K♥, if the flop shows Q♥10♥4♣, you now have a strong draw—a straight draw with a possible flush. Betting here can allow you to take down the pot immediately or set up for the turn or river if you hit one of your draws.

3. Turn (Third Betting Round, Fourth Community Card)

The turn adds a fourth community card, impacting hand strength and helping solidify many potential hands (two-pair, trips, or a stronger draw). This street is known for ramping up the action as the pot size increases and decisions become more costly.

Strategies:

• Double Barrel Bluff: Players who continued betting on the flop might continue to apply pressure again (double barrel). This can be especially effective if the turn card doesn’t improve the board and they want to force out weaker hands.
• Hand Strength Re-evaluation: Players reassess if their hand is strong enough to continue or if the turn card has helped an opponent. For example, if the turn completes a potential flush, players need to be wary if they only hold a single pair or weak hand.
• Value Betting and Pot Control: If you are confident that you have the best hand, you might value bet on the turn to build the pot. Alternatively, with a medium-strength hand, you might try to control the pot size by checking or calling rather than betting.

Example: Suppose you have 10♠9♠ and the board reads 8♠7♦4♠6♦. You have hit a straight on the turn, so you may choose to bet here for value, especially if you think opponents are drawing. However, you’d want to bet enough to make it costly for opponents chasing a flush.

4. River (Final Betting Round, Fifth Community Card)

The river is the last street, revealing the fifth community card. At this stage, players have all the information about their hands, and final decisions are made. This is often the deciding street, where players determine whether to go for a big value bet, bluff, or cautiously check.

Strategies:

• Thin Value Betting: With a strong hand, you may place a thin value bet on the river, hoping weaker hands will call.
• Bluffing: Since this is the last chance to act, players sometimes bluff on the river to take down the pot, especially if they have played the hand consistently with a story of strength.
• Showdown Value: Sometimes, a hand has a ‘showdown value’ without being the best possible hand. Players might check instead of betting if they believe their opponent would fold weaker hands but call with stronger ones.

Example: You are holding A♣Q♣, and the final board reads Q♦J♦5♠10♣3♠. You have a top pair, but it’s not the strongest hand on this board. You might decide to check if you think your opponent might have a stronger pair or completed a straight. However, if you feel confident, you could make a small value bet, hoping they call with a weaker hand, like a middle pair.

Streets in Seven-Card Stud

In Seven Card Stud, streets are structured around individual cards dealt to each player rather than community cards. Let’s explore each Poker street in detail:

1. Third Street: Each player receives two hole cards and one door card. Betting begins, often with the player showing the lowest face-up card. Players decide if they want to pursue based on these initial cards.
2. Fourth Street: Players get another face-up card, revealing more about their opponents' potential hands. Players with drawing hands or pairs might bet or call to stay in.
3. Fifth Street: Each player receives a third face-up card. At this point, the bet size usually doubles, and players start to see where they stand against others, leading to more significant actions like raises or folds.
4. Sixth Street: Another face-up card is dealt. Players with strong hands might bet for value, while those on a draw may continue to build the pot if they have potential outs.
5. Seventh Street (River): The final card is dealt face-down, followed by the last betting round. Players now have all seven cards to form their best five-card hand, and at the showdown, they reveal hands to determine the winner.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the four streets in Poker?

The four streets in poker are the Pre-Flop, Flop, Turn, and River. Each street represents a betting round where players decide based on their and community cards. These streets help structure the game and give players new information to refine their strategies.

How do you adjust your strategy on each street?

Pre-Flop, focus on strong hands and position. On the Flop, consider board texture and your hand’s potential. On the Turn, re-evaluate your hand strength against opponent actions, and on the River, make decisive bets for value or fold based on final hand potential.

What is ‘floating the flop’ in poker?

Floating the flop is when a player calls a bet on the flop with a weak or marginal hand, intending to bluff on a later street. This tactic can work well if opponents play passively on the turn or river.

Conclusion

Understanding each street helps players recognize when to bet aggressively, when to slow down, and how to maximize value or minimize loss in every hand. Skilled players use each street's unique characteristics to stay unpredictable, controlling the game’s flow and optimizing their chances of winning each hand.