In poker, the term “free card” refers to a situation where the player is allowed to see the next community card (the turn or the river) without needing to place any additional bets. This occurs when all the players check, and the next betting round begins without any additional chips in the pot.

A situation with a free card could be profitable for a player who is waiting to improve their hand but does not want to risk any additional chips. As a result, the player can see the next card without losing any chips, and can decide what to do during the next betting round.