You’ve heard the whispers at the table. The high rollers in Macau, the streamers on Twitch, the cash game legends like Tom Dwan and Phil Ivey — they’re all talking about Short Deck. It’s not just a gimmick. It’s a faster, wilder, and honestly, more brutal version of Texas Hold’em. But here’s the thing: most players jump in blind, get crushed, and blame variance. They shouldn’t. Short deck rewards the prepared.
So, whether you’re a tournament grinder looking to expand your arsenal or a cash game player who’s curious about the hype, this guide is for you. We’ll break down the rules first — no skimping — and then dive into the advanced strategies that separate the sharks from the chum. Let’s dive in.
What Exactly is Short Deck Poker?
Short Deck, also called Six Plus Hold’em, is a variation where all cards from 2 through 5 are removed from the deck. That leaves you with a 36-card deck. Sounds simple, right? But this small change creates a seismic shift in hand values, probabilities, and overall strategy.
Here’s the deal: because there are fewer low cards, the likelihood of hitting strong hands skyrockets. Flushes become more common, straights are everywhere, and sets… well, they’re practically a dime a dozen. The game moves fast. Decisions come quicker. And the swings? They’re violent. You need to be ready for that emotional rollercoaster.
Key Differences from Traditional Hold’em
Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let’s clarify the most important rule changes. Trust me, missing these will cost you money.
- Deck Composition: 36 cards (no 2s, 3s, 4s, or 5s).
- Aces are both high and low: This is crucial. A straight can be A-6-7-8-9 or 10-J-Q-K-A. The wheel (A-2-3-4-5) no longer exists.
- Flush beats a Full House: Because flushes are statistically harder to make (with fewer suited cards), they rank higher. This is the single biggest rule change that trips up newcomers.
- No lowball games: Forget about deuce-to-seven. This is strictly high-hand games.
That last point about flushes beating full houses — let me repeat it, because I see players make this mistake even at high stakes. In Short Deck, a flush is a monster. A full house is second-best. Get that into your head before you sit down.
The Complete Hand Ranking (in Order)
Here’s a quick reference table. Print it out, bookmark it, whatever you need to do. This is your new bible.
| Rank | Hand | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal Flush | A-K-Q-J-10 (suited) |
| 2 | Straight Flush | 9-8-7-6-5 (suited) |
| 3 | Four of a Kind | Q-Q-Q-Q-7 |
| 4 | Flush | A-K-9-7-6 (all hearts) |
| 5 | Full House | J-J-J-8-8 |
| 6 | Straight | 10-9-8-7-6 |
| 7 | Three of a Kind | 9-9-9-A-K |
| 8 | Two Pair | A-A-K-K-10 |
| 9 | One Pair | 8-8-A-Q-10 |
| 10 | High Card | A-K-J-9-7 |
Notice anything missing? There’s no “Two Pair” beating “One Pair” — wait, that’s still there. But the big takeaway is that a flush outranks a full house, and straights are actually harder to make than in regular Hold’em, despite what you might think. Why? Because there are only 36 cards, so the gaps between ranks are wider. You can’t fill in a straight with a 2 or 3 anymore.
Pre-Flop Strategy: Starting Hands That Actually Matter
Here’s where the game gets interesting. In standard Hold’em, you’re looking for premium pairs and big suited connectors. In Short Deck, the value of high cards skyrockets. Why? Because there are fewer cards, the chance of someone holding an Ace is much higher. In fact, about 43% of starting hands contain at least one Ace.
So, what should you play? Well, let’s break it down logically. Pairs are still great, but their relative strength changes. A pair of Tens in Short Deck is like a pair of Queens in regular Hold’em. That’s a bold statement, but it’s true. The reduced deck means your pair is less likely to be dominated.
Premium Hands (Always Raise)
- AA, KK, QQ: These are gold. Play them fast and hard.
- AK suited: This is arguably the best drawing hand. It has flush potential, straight potential, and high-card strength.
- AQ suited: Slightly worse than AK, but still premium.
- JJ and TT: Treat these like QQ in regular Hold’em. They’re strong, but don’t fall in love with them if the board gets scary.
Playable Hands (With Caution)
- Suited connectors (e.g., 9-8, 10-9): These have great implied odds, but only in position.
- Medium pairs (88, 99): They’re fine, but you’re mostly set-mining. And sets are more common, so you’ll get paid off more often.
- Any two Broadway cards (KQ, QJ, KJ): These play well because high cards dominate.
Honestly, you can throw away most suited hands that don’t have high cards. A hand like 9-8 suited looks pretty, but it’s a trap. You’ll make a straight less often than you think, and when you do, someone else might have a higher one.
Post-Flop Play: The Real Test
Post-flop is where Short Deck separates the men from the boys. The board texture is completely different. You’ll see paired boards, flush draws everywhere, and straight draws that feel like they’re on every single flop. But here’s the thing — you need to adjust your continuation betting frequency.
In regular Hold’em, you can c-bet 70% of the time and get away with it. In Short Deck, that number drops. Why? Because your opponent is more likely to have connected with the board. The board hits their range harder. So, you need to be more selective. Check more often, and when you do bet, make it bigger.
Let’s talk about equity realization. This is a fancy term, but it just means “how often will my hand actually win by showdown?” In Short Deck, draws are incredibly powerful. A flush draw has about a 30% chance to complete by the river. A straight draw (open-ended) is around 25%. These numbers are higher than in regular Hold’em, so you can chase more aggressively.
The Art of Semi-Bluffing
You know what’s beautiful about Short Deck? The semi-bluff. It’s your best friend. You can raise with a flush draw, a straight draw, or even a combo draw (flush + straight draw) and put maximum pressure on your opponent. If they fold, great. If they call, you still have a ton of outs. It’s a win-win scenario.
But don’t overdo it. The key is to pick your spots. Semi-bluffing works best when you’re in position, or when the board is coordinated and scary. If the board is dry (like K-7-2 rainbow), your semi-bluff loses its power. Save your aggression for dynamic boards.
Advanced Strategy: Hand Reading and Range Construction
This is where we go deeper. You can’t just play your own cards in Short Deck; you have to play your opponent’s range. And because the deck is smaller, ranges are tighter and more defined. That’s actually a gift. You can narrow down your opponent’s holdings much more accurately.
For example, if a tight player raises from early position, you can almost guarantee they have a premium pair or AK/AQ. In regular Hold’em, they might have suited connectors or small pairs. Not here. The removal of low cards means they simply can’t have those hands. So, you can fold more liberally against their raises.
Let’s talk about blockers. This is a subtle but powerful concept. If you hold an Ace, you block your opponent from having AA or AK. In Short Deck, this matters even more because Aces are so prevalent. If you have an Ace in your hand, the chances of your opponent having a premium hand drop significantly. Use that to your advantage. Steal pots more aggressively when you have an Ace in your hand and the board is low.
Adjusting to Stack Sizes
Short stack play in Short Deck is a different beast. With shallow stacks (under 30 big blinds), you should be shoving or folding pre-flop. There’s no room for fancy post-flop play. Your equity is realized immediately. With deep stacks (over 100 big blinds), you can open up your range and play more speculative hands, but you also need to be wary of losing huge pots. The variance is real, folks.
One more thing — pot control. In Short Deck, pots get out of hand quickly. A single raise and call can create a pot that’s 10 big blinds on the flop. You need to be disciplined. If you have a marginal hand like top pair with a weak kicker, you should often check behind on the turn to keep the pot small. Let your opponent bluff into you, or just take the pot down on the river with a small value bet.