What is Short Deck (6+ Hold'em)?
Short Deck Poker (6+ Hold'em or Six Plus Holdem) is a
variation of No Limit Texas Hold'em that uses a deck of 36 (starting with sixes, and
all deuces, threes, fours, and fives are removed from the deck which makes 6+ a more
action-packed kind of poker) rather than 52 cards. In addition, the game has some
differences in hand rankings, betting system, and the number of players at the
table.
Best poker sites to play Short Deck Poker
Short Deck has been appearing in
online poker rooms since 2024, but only three have acceptable traffic as of early-2024,
apart from some mobile poker apps.
Poker site Rake (cap) Rakeback WPT Global 5% up to
40% PokerStars 3.5%-5% ($0.3-$7) 10%-35% GGPoker 5% (3 antes) 10%-60% iPoker skins
5%-6.6% (€0.5-€4) VIP deal
GGPoker
GGPoker is rightfully the best poker site to play
Six plus Hold'em
Several stakes are available, with ante ranging fromR$0.02 toR$500.
During peak hours, there are 50-60 active tables at the five most popular stakes (up
toR$10 ante).
Casual players from Asia.
Regular daily race (Short Deck DailyR$10K
Leaderboard) features separate leaderboards for different stakes.
Stable traffic
throughout the day.
Only this poker room offers regular Short Deck tournaments. In
addition, it holds a dedicated series with a total guarantee ofR$2,000,000 once a
year.
The game is played at 5-max tables and uses a “button blind” structure.
GG
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WPT Global
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iPoker
6+ Hold'em tables appeared on this network
six years ago. However, you can find acceptable traffic only at the NL4$ stake (up to
10 tables). There are also 3-4 active tables per stake at up to NL50$ in the evening
hours. Higher-stakes action at NL100$ and NL200$ (the highest stake) can be found only
late at night on weekends.
The game is played at 6-max tables here. Also, the network
decided to keep the classic blind structure (SB+BB) for Short Deck.
iPoker Network
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PokerStars
PokerStars introduced 6+ Hold'em tables in January
2024. This is the only poker room with random seating for Short Deck tables, so it is
impossible to evaluate traffic.
There are 12 stakes available, with ante ranging
fromR$0.02 toR$200. The initial buy-in amount is always equal to 100 antes.
6+ Hold'em
cash games are played at 6-max tables with a “button blind” structure.
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Differences
between 6+ Hold'em and No Limit Hold'em
The number of cards in the deck (36 vs. 52).
Hand rankings. Higher action, higher variance Different poker math: odds, outs, and the
number of unique starting hands. More loose game strategy.
We will explain all these
features below.
Short Deck Poker rules
Differences in the rules come down to the blind
system and the hand rankings. The rest is the same No Limit Hold'em with two pocket
cards and 4 betting rounds.
Preflop rules: every player posts an ante (mandatory bet),
and the one seated at the button position posts a blind (straddle) equal to two antes.
The player to the left of the button is the first to act.
6+ Hold'em hand rankings
6+
Classic Hold ‘em Royal Flush Royal Flush Straight Flush Straight Flush 4 of a kind 4 of
a kind Flush Full House Full House Flush 3 of a kind Straight Straight* 3 of a kind Two
pair Two pair Pair Pair High card High card
*The A-6-7-8-9 is the lowest straight
hand
Such an unusual order in 6+ Hold'em hand rankings is explained by the changes in
the probabilities of making one or another hand.
Which cards are eliminated in Short
Deck poker? All cards valued from 2 to 5 are removed from the deck, leaving only 36 in
the deck.
Short Deck Triton
This game variation retains one rule of classic Hold'em: a
straight is better than 3 of a kind. There are no blinds but antes for all
players.
Triton is played at PokerStars and mobile poker apps. It got its name from the
Triton Poker Series, where it first appeared.
Probabilities
Compared to Hold'em, the
total number of starting hands has been reduced from 1,326 to 630, while the number of
unique starting hands in Short Deck is just 81 (NLH - 169). This has resulted in each
out giving you 3% of equity vs. 2.3% in classic Hold'em.
It turns out that some hands
have become easier to make. Therefore, 3 of a kind beats a straight, and a flush beats
a full house in 6+ Hold ‘em. Moreover, you have better chances of improving your hands
in the flop.
Flop hand – Improved hand Probability Turn River 3 of a kind – 4 of a kind
3.20% 6.50% Pair – 3 of a kind 6.50% 24.50% Gutshot straight draw – Straight 12.90%
30.10% Flush draw – Flush 16.10% 35.50% Two overcards – Top pair 22.60% 48.40%
Basic
strategy tips
Be careful with offsuit hands. It's better not to play them, especially
from early positions. Prefer suited hands and top pairs. Use simple math to calculate
the chances of improving your hand: multiply the number of outs by 6 (flop-river) or by
3 (turn-river). Be careful with straight draws: even making a straight, you will still
have a weaker hand than your opponent in many cases. Don't forget the basic strategy
tips for classic Hold'em. Do not play many tables simultaneously - try to watch your
opponents closely instead. Stick to very conservative bankroll management rules - at
least 100 buy-ins of your chosen stake. Be aware of the possibility of long downswings
due to the high variance.
Summary
Short Deck (6+ Hold'em) is a relatively new,
action-packed game. The strategy is not well-developed yet, while many weak opponents
are still looking for action.
For beginners, both cash game and MTT players, GGPoker is
almost the only option to start a 6+ Hold'em career. This is facilitated by high
traffic at several stakes (from micro to the nosebleed ones) and various bonuses and
promotions to boost a bankroll.
We especially recommend Short Deck to players who do
not recognize the need to use any assistance software during the game and rely only on
their skill and understanding of the opponents.
FAQ
Now let’s answer some of the most
commonly asked questions about texas six plus poker:
✅ What is the best poker site to
play 6+ Hold'em online?
Definitely, GG Poker. This poker room has the most active Short
Deck tables (up toR$500 ante). There are also separate daily races for grinders.
✅ What
is the best hand in Short Deck poker?
From pocket hands, AA is still the best, but it
must be considered that the probability of winning a hand with pocket Aces is inferior
to classic Hold'em.
✅ Can I play Short Deck at PokerStars?
Yes. There are 12 cash game
stakes with ante ranging fromR$0.02 toR$200. The initial buy-in amount is always equal
to 100 antes, and table seating is random.
✅ Is it possible to make a profit in the
long run by playing Short Deck poker?
Many famous pro poker players promote Short Deck.
Phil Ivey stated that the game "suits the players with a more gambling style," which we
agree entirely with since the variance is much higher than NLH. Still, by following
proper bankroll management rules and game strategies, it is quite possible to make a
profit in the long run.
✅ How many cards are in a short deck?
A total of 36, from Sixes
to Aces.
✅ Is Short Deck poker better than Hold'em?
Suppose you like to try something
new (more dynamic, with many weak opponents), are not a fan of multi-tabling, and can
easily cope with tilt. In that case, Short Deck should definitely be much better for
you than classic Hold'em.
✅ Is there an equity calculator for Short
Deck?
Yes:
CombCalc6Plus – calculates the hand vs. range or range vs. range
equity.
Oranges 6Plus Calculator — a software for calculating the equity of hand
ranges.
✅ Are there 6+ Hold'em tournaments?
Yes. The only poker room holding those is
GGPoker. There are about 30 daily events with up toR$21 buy-ins and up toR$2,000 GTD.
The annual Short Deck Series boasts a guaranteed prize pool ofR$2M.
✅ Who invented
Short Deck poker?
Nobody knows for sure. It is only known that the game first appeared
in Macau casinos, where Phil Ivey and Tom Dwan tried it. Thanks to them, the whole
poker world learned about Short Deck.
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