Definitions for "Playing the Board"
Keywords:  hold'em, best, flop, five, flush
if you use neither of your pocket cards in Hold'Em --and other flop games-- to make your final hand then you are playing the board because you are using all five of the community cards. The best results you can hope for in doing so is to split with the other remaining players. usage: With KK999 on the table and rags in my hand I ended up playing the board like everyone else.
When your best five-card hand is the five cards on the board.
In hold'em, player uses only the cards on the board and none of his/her hole cards.