Fourth street in poker is the traditional name for the turn card, the fourth community card dealt face-up on the board in Texas Hold’em and Omaha. While “the turn” is more common today, fourth street remains a staple of poker vocabulary, especially among experienced players and in stud poker variants where the term originated.
The name fourth street comes from stud poker games where each betting round is called a “street,” numbered sequentially. In Texas Hold’em, fourth street arrives after the flop (the first three community cards) and before the river (the fifth and final card). This single card often dramatically changes hand values, creating new draws, completing existing ones, or establishing clear winners. Understanding fourth street play is crucial because with only one card remaining, the pot is typically large and decisions carry significant weight.
What Happens on Fourth Street?
Fourth street begins when the dealer burns one card and places a single card face-up next to the three flop cards. This creates a board of four community cards that all active players combine with their hole cards.
The betting round on fourth street follows the same order as the flop: the first active player to the left of the dealer button acts first, and action continues clockwise. In limit games, the bet size typically doubles on fourth street compared to the flop. In no-limit games, players can bet any amount up to their entire stack.
Fourth street play tends to be more straightforward than flop play because:
- There’s only one more card to come (the river)
- Drawing hands have either improved or have just one chance left
- The pot is larger, making pot-committed situations more common
- Bluffing frequencies typically decrease as players approach showdown
Fourth Street vs The Turn: What’s the Difference?
Fourth street and the turn refer to the exact same thing in Texas Hold’em and Omaha: the fourth community card. The difference is purely terminology:
- Fourth Street: The original term from stud poker, still used by many experienced players
- The Turn: The modern term, more common in contemporary Hold’em discussion
Both terms are correct and interchangeable. You might hear “fourth street” more often in:
- Mixed game environments where players switch between stud and Hold’em
- Commentary by old-school players and broadcasters
- Classic poker literature and strategy books
- Stud games where “fourth street” specifically means the fourth card dealt to each player
Key Facts
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Other names | The turn, turn card |
| Position in dealing | 4th community card |
| Cards on board | 4 total (3 flop + 1 turn) |
| Betting round | 3rd betting round |
| Cards remaining | 1 (the river) |
| Origin of name | From stud poker “streets” |
Hear It at the Table
“Back in my day, we called it fourth street, not ‘the turn’, and we liked it that way!”
Key Takeaway
Fourth street is simply the traditional name for the turn card in Hold’em and Omaha, originating from stud poker where each round is a numbered “street.” Whether you call it fourth street or the turn, this crucial betting round often determines the outcome of the hand, as players have seen 6 of their 7 total cards and must decide whether to commit to the pot with just one card remaining.
