Poker Dictionary (106) > Showdown

Showdown - Online Poker

The 'showdown' in live poker games and in online poker occurs at the end of the hand when players overturn their hands to see who the winner is. Players can only get to showdown where there is more than one player left in the hand at the end of the hand. A big part of poker revolves around the premise that you don't need the best hand to win. This is only true if you can get all other players to fold. In a game of Holdem, there are four betting rounds throughout the deal. When the river card is dealt and the last betting round is complete, any players still in the hand would expose their cards to see who won - the showdown.

Generally, the last player to make a bet or raise would be the first to turn over their cards. It is common practice for the other players to simply throw their cards to the muck if they don't have a better hand. This ensures that they don't give away any information on how they played the hand. If you play live, you will know it's a fairly regular occurrence for players to request that the hand is shown. It's not mandatory for the mucked cards to be exposed.

The aim is to get to showdown with the best hand. If you have a weak hand that you don't feel is the best hand, you either need to try to bluff your opponents out of the pot, or fold and wait for a better spot. The decision on which to do should be influenced by your opponents. Are they tight players or do they like to gamble? Are the super aggressive? You should avoid trying to bluff if there are too many players.

Beginner Guides:

• - Beginners guide to Online Poker
• - Poker Rules
• - Making Money Playing Online Poker
• - Studying Poker to Improve

Do You want added a New Poker Dictionary Entry?

To Submit a New Poker Dictionary Entry, Get in Touch with us