We give a polynomial time algorithm that tests whether a graph is a theta-ring graph or equivalently if a graph has the class="mathmlsrc">class="formulatext stixSupport mathImg" data-mathURL="/science?_ob=MathURL&_method=retrieve&_eid=1-s2.0-S074771711600016X&_mathId=si1.gif&_user=111111111&_pii=S074771711600016X&_rdoc=1&_issn=07477171&md5=d2d94047a2208efde33418b0e2c02d27" title="Click to view the MathML source">∀θ∃Δclass="mathContainer hidden">class="mathCode">-property (each chorded-theta has a transversal triangle). It is known that G is a theta-ring graph if and only if G is a class="mathmlsrc">class="formulatext stixSupport mathImg" data-mathURL="/science?_ob=MathURL&_method=retrieve&_eid=1-s2.0-S074771711600016X&_mathId=si2.gif&_user=111111111&_pii=S074771711600016X&_rdoc=1&_issn=07477171&md5=497b6a24c660b14dc4bf176b3f8f74b1" title="Click to view the MathML source">CIOclass="mathContainer hidden">class="mathCode"> graph (each toric ideal associated to an edge orientation of G is a binomial complete intersection). In particular ring graphs are theta-ring graphs. We prove that the forbidden induced subgraphs that characterize ring graphs are chorded-thetas and class="mathmlsrc">class="formulatext stixSupport mathImg" data-mathURL="/science?_ob=MathURL&_method=retrieve&_eid=1-s2.0-S074771711600016X&_mathId=si294.gif&_user=111111111&_pii=S074771711600016X&_rdoc=1&_issn=07477171&md5=076d2419342df5c3a81a869188df0ee4" title="Click to view the MathML source">K4class="mathContainer hidden">class="mathCode">. We introduce a new graph invariant, the class="mathmlsrc">class="formulatext stixSupport mathImg" data-mathURL="/science?_ob=MathURL&_method=retrieve&_eid=1-s2.0-S074771711600016X&_mathId=si2.gif&_user=111111111&_pii=S074771711600016X&_rdoc=1&_issn=07477171&md5=497b6a24c660b14dc4bf176b3f8f74b1" title="Click to view the MathML source">CIOclass="mathContainer hidden">class="mathCode"> deficiency. This invariant has the property that graphs with class="mathmlsrc">class="formulatext stixSupport mathImg" data-mathURL="/science?_ob=MathURL&_method=retrieve&_eid=1-s2.0-S074771711600016X&_mathId=si2.gif&_user=111111111&_pii=S074771711600016X&_rdoc=1&_issn=07477171&md5=497b6a24c660b14dc4bf176b3f8f74b1" title="Click to view the MathML source">CIOclass="mathContainer hidden">class="mathCode"> deficiency zero are exactly class="mathmlsrc">class="formulatext stixSupport mathImg" data-mathURL="/science?_ob=MathURL&_method=retrieve&_eid=1-s2.0-S074771711600016X&_mathId=si2.gif&_user=111111111&_pii=S074771711600016X&_rdoc=1&_issn=07477171&md5=497b6a24c660b14dc4bf176b3f8f74b1" title="Click to view the MathML source">CIOclass="mathContainer hidden">class="mathCode"> graphs.