Short Deck Poker – Rules, Hand Rankings & Strategy Guide

Short Deck Poker, also known as 6+ Hold’em, has exploded in popularity over the last decade—especially in high-stakes cash games and tournaments. Played with a 36-card deck (removing all 2s through 5s), the game creates more action, closer equities, and exciting strategic twists compared to traditional Texas Hold’em.

In this VIP Grinders guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about Short Deck Poker, including:

• What Short Deck Poker is and how it differs from standard Hold’em
• Rules of Short Deck Poker and how the game is structured
• Hand rankings and why they change compared to normal poker
• How to play Short Deck Poker step by step
• Key strategies to improve your results and avoid common mistakes
• Where to play Short Deck Poker online, both for real money and for practice

What is Short Deck Poker?

Short Deck Poker, also known as 6+ Hold’em, is a popular poker variant that uses a 36-card deck instead of the traditional 52. All cards ranked 2 through 5 are removed, which changes both the probabilities of hands and the optimal strategies. For action players, like Phil Ivey, Short Deck poker is a refreshing change of format to standard Hold’em.

Origins of Short Deck Poker

The game was first introduced in high-stakes private games in Asia around 2014. It quickly gained traction among professionals and VIPs for its potential for larger pots. By 2018, Short Deck Poker had spread to major tournaments, including the Triton Super High Roller Series, helping it gain international recognition.

Short Deck Poker vs. Texas Hold’em

While the betting structure and gameplay are almost identical to No Limit Texas Hold’em, there are two major differences:

• The Deck: Only cards ranked 6 through Ace are used, making straights and flushes more common.
• Hand Rankings: Because the math of the game changes, flushes beat full houses, and in many formats, sets (three of a kind) outrank straights.

These differences give Short Deck Poker its unique flavor and force players to rethink hand values and strategies they’ve mastered in regular Hold’em.

Short Deck Poker Rules

The rules of Short Deck Poker are very similar to Texas Hold’em, but with a few crucial differences that change the way the game plays out. Understanding the deck setup, betting structure, and unique blind system is essential before jumping into the action.

Deck and Card Setup

Short Deck Poker uses a 36-card deck by removing all cards ranked 2 through 5. This shifts hand probabilities—making straights and flushes more common while lowering the frequency of full houses and lower pairs. Because of this, hand rankings are adjusted (explained in the next section).

Betting Rounds

The flow of betting rounds mirrors Texas Hold’em:

1. Pre-Flop: Each player receives two hole cards.
2. Flop: Three community cards are dealt face up.
3. Turn: A fourth community card is revealed.
4. River: A final community card is dealt, followed by the last round of betting.
5. Showdown: Players reveal their hands, and the best five-card hand wins.

Antes and Button Blind

Instead of traditional small and big blinds, all players post an ante before each hand. The dealer button posts an additional blind (the button blind), which acts similarly to the big blind in Hold’em.

This structure creates larger pots right from the start, increasing the action and incentivizing aggressive play.

Short Deck Poker Hand Rankings

One of the most important adjustments players need to make in Short Deck Poker is learning the different hand rankings. Because the deck is shorter (36 cards instead of 52), the odds of making certain hands change significantly compared to Texas Hold’em.

• Flushes are harder to hit because there are fewer cards of each suit, making them more valuable.
• Straights are easier to complete since the low cards (2–5) are removed, lowering their relative strength.

As a result, the standard Texas Hold’em hand rankings are modified in Short Deck Poker.

Flush vs. Full House in Short Deck Hold’em

In Short Deck Poker, a flush outranks a full house. While in Texas Hold’em a full house normally beats a flush, the reduced number of suited cards makes flushes much rarer and therefore stronger.

Set vs. Straight

Another major change is that a set (three of a kind) outranks a straight. Since straights are more common with the shorter deck, they lose value relative to trips.

To summarize: “Three of a kind” beats a “Straight”, and “Flush” beats a “Full house”!

How to Play Short Deck Poker

If you’re familiar with Texas Hold’em, learning how to play Short Deck Poker will feel natural. The betting structure and gameplay flow are almost identical—but the deck setup, antes, and hand values create key differences that can trip up new players.

Antes & Blinds

Instead of traditional small and big blinds, every player posts an ante before the hand begins. The button posts an extra blind (the “button blind”), which drives the initial action. This means the pot is already bigger at the start of each hand, encouraging more aggressive play.

Pre-Flop Play

Each player is dealt two hole cards, just like in Texas Hold’em. Action begins with the player to the left of the button blind. Because the deck is shorter, premium hands appear more often, so ranges should be adjusted wider.

Post-Flop Play

The betting rounds follow the same structure as Hold’em:

• Flop: Three community cards dealt face up.
• Turn: A fourth card is revealed.
• River: The final community card is dealt.

Draws are stronger in Short Deck since straights and flushes hit more often. Players need to weigh drawing hands more heavily than in Hold’em.

Showdown

After the final betting round, any remaining players reveal their hole cards. The best five-card hand wins, using the adjusted Short Deck hand rankings (where flushes beat full houses, and sets beat straights).

Short Deck Poker Strategy

Developing a solid Short Deck Poker strategy requires more than just applying Texas Hold’em concepts. With fewer cards in the deck and altered hand rankings, the game plays differently and rewards players who adapt quickly. Below are the essential adjustments and tactics to improve your win rate.

3 Key Pre-Flop Adjustments for Short Deck Hold’em

1. Pocket pairs gain value: With fewer total cards, hitting sets becomes more frequent, making pocket pairs especially strong.
2. Suited connectors are premium: Flushes and straights are easier to make, so hands like 9♦ 10♦ or J♠ Q♠ increase in strength.
3. Broaden your opening ranges: Since equities run closer, you can profitably play more starting hands compared to Hold’em.

Post-Flop Strategy

A key thing to keep in mind at all times when converting to Short Deck Poker is that draws are more powerful. Straight and flush draws hit more often, so semi-bluffing becomes highly profitable.

Also remember that top pair is weaker than in Hold’em. With stronger hands appearing more frequently, simple one-pair holdings lose value.

Also, never forget that acting last allows you to control pot size and apply pressure in volatile spots.

3 Common Short Deck Poker Mistakes to Avoid

1. Overvaluing straights: Many new players forget that sets beat straights—don’t fall into this trap.
2. Misjudging flushes and full houses: Flushes are rarer than boats, which is why they outrank them—always keep this in mind.
3. Playing too tight: Short Deck rewards aggression. Overly cautious players bleed chips to those applying pressure.

Advanced Tips for Short Deck Poker

Expand your 3-betting and calling ranges, as equities are closer and pots build faster. Another advanced tip, when you have found your feet in Short Deck, is that semi-bluffs with draws carry higher equity, making them more effective than in Hold’em.

In Short Deck Poker, the math is your ally. Learn the odds of common draws (like open-ended straights and flush draws) and you’ll quickly see why aggressive play pays off in this format.

Quick Guide to Short Deck Poker Probabilities

It is important to note, that due to the smaller deck also the total number of starting hands significantly goes down from 1,326 to 630. Even more significant becomes the effect, when we take a look at the unique starting hands: 169 in Texas Hold’em and only 81 in Short Deck. That means some poker hands become easier to make and this is also the reason why a flush beats a full house in Short Deck Poker.

Here are the probabilities of how often you improve your hand on the turn and river:

Final Thoughts on Mastering Short Deck Poker

Short Deck Poker is one of the most exciting and dynamic poker variants available today. By removing the low cards, adjusting hand rankings, and introducing the ante + button blind structure, the game creates more action, closer equities, and unique strategic challenges.

To succeed, remember the 3 key takeaways:

1. Rules: Played with a 36-card deck and an ante-driven betting system.
2. Hand Rankings: Flushes beat full houses, and sets outrank straights.
3. Strategy: Pocket pairs and suited connectors rise in value, draws are stronger, and aggression pays off.

Whether you’re just learning the ropes or looking to sharpen your edge, mastering Short Deck will add a new dimension to your poker skills.

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