Burn

A burn card in poker is a card that the dealer discards ("burns") from the top of the deck before dealing the community cards.

Understanding Burn

In poker, to Burn means to discard the top card from the deck face down. This is done before the dealer deals the flop, turn, and river in community card poker games like Texas Hold'em and Omaha. The purpose of the burn card is to prevent cheating by making it more difficult for a player to recognize or mark the next card to be dealt.

Significance of Burn

The Burn card is significant as it adds a layer of security to the game. By burning a card, the dealer ensures that players cannot gain an advantage by spotting or marking the next card to be dealt.

Burn Strategy

The act of burning a card does not directly impact a player's strategy as it is a procedural action taken by the dealer. However, it's an important aspect of poker rules to be aware of, especially for new players learning the game.

Examples of "Burn"

• In a game of Texas Hold'em, before dealing the flop, turn, and river, the dealer will burn a card.
• In a game of Omaha, the dealer also burns a card before dealing the community cards.
• In stud poker games, the dealer often burns cards before dealing the final face-up card.

Burn FAQs