Short Deck Poker, also known as Six Plus Hold’em or 6+ Hold’em is a fast-paced Texas Hold’em Variant that originated in the high-stakes cash games of Macau around 2010, quickly gaining popularity across Asia and globally. The key difference? It uses a stripped-down 36-card deck, removing all 2s through 5s.
This change amps up the action, making big hands more common and pots larger. Paul Phua and Richard Yong cooked up this variant to spice things up for both pros and newbies. The game caught fire, with the Triton Poker Tour showcasing it in 2018.
Even the World Series of Poker jumped on board, adding it as a bracelet event in 2019. With its unique hand rankings and strategy tweaks, Short Deck Poker has become a hit in high-stakes circles and is spreading like wildfire in poker rooms worldwide.
How Short Deck Poker Differs from Traditional Texas Hold’em?
Short Deck Hold’em is a bit different from Texas Hold’em and really wild compared to Texas Hold’em. First off, the deck is way smaller. Instead of the usual 52 cards, you’re playing with just 36.
That’s right, all the 2s, 3s, 4s, and 5s are tossed out. This means the 6 is now the lowest card in the deck. Talk about a game-changer!
With fewer cards, you’re more likely to hit those big hands. Flushes and full houses show up more often, which is why the hand rankings get a bit of a makeover. In most Short Deck games, a flush actually beats a full house. Crazy, right?
Now, let’s chat about Aces. These bad boys are like superheroes in Short Deck. They can play high or low, just like in regular Hold’em. But here’s the kicker – they can also make both ends of a straight.
So, you can have A-6-7-8-9 as the lowest straight, and 10-J-Q-K-A as the highest. Aces are pulling double duty!
This deck shake-up means you’ll see way more action. Big hands happen more often, and the pots can get huge. It’s like regular Hold’em on steroids! Here’s a quick stat to blow your mind: In Short Deck, you’ll get dealt pocket Aces about 1% of the time.
That’s twice as often as in regular Hold’em. But don’t get too excited – they’re not as strong as you might think. Even the lowest pair, pocket sixes, has a decent shot against Aces.
So, if you’re looking for a game that’s fast, fun, and full of big hands, Short Deck Hold’em might be your new best friend. Just remember, it’s a whole new ballgame with its own set of tricks!
Rules and Gameplay of Six Plus Hold’em
Now that we have a clear understanding of the differences, let’s move on to the rules and gameplay of 6+ Hold’em.
1. Basic Structure
Short Deck Poker, also called Six Plus Hold’em or 6+ Hold’em, follows the same basic structure as regular Texas Hold’em. But here’s the kicker – it uses a smaller deck of just 36 cards instead of the usual 52. That’s right, all the 2s, 3s, 4s, and 5s are tossed out, leaving you with cards from 6 to Ace.
2. Hole Cards
Just like in regular Hold’em, each player gets dealt two hole cards face down. These are your secret weapons, folks! You’ll use these along with the community cards to make your best hand.
3. Community Cards
The community cards are dealt in the middle of the table for everyone to use. You’ll see:
The Flop: Three cards dealt face-up
The Turn: One more card added
The River: The final card revealed
4. Betting Rounds
There are four betting rounds in Short Deck Poker:
Pre-flop: After you get your hole cards
Flop: After the first three community cards are dealt
Turn: After the fourth community card is revealed
River: After the final community card is shown
Now, here’s where things get interesting. In some games, instead of a fifth community card on the river, players might get a third hole card. But we’ll dive into that juicy variation later!
How to Play Short Deck Poker?
Let’s walk through a typical hand of Short Deck Poker, shall we?
Antes and Blinds
Most Short Deck games use an ante system instead of blinds. Everyone puts in a small bet before the cards are dealt. The player on the button (dealer position) puts in a bigger ante, usually double the regular ante. This gets the pot started and gives folks a reason to play.
Pre-flop Action
Once the antes are in and you’ve got your hole cards, it’s time to bet! The action starts with the player to the left of the button. You can:
Call: Match the button ante
Raise: Bump up the bet
Fold: Throw your cards away and sit this one out
The action goes around the table until everyone’s had a chance to act.
Flop, Turn, and River
After the pre-flop betting, three community cards hit the table – that’s the flop. Another round of betting happens, starting with the first active player to the left of the button.
Then comes the turn – one more community card. More betting follows.Finally, we reach the river. In standard Short Deck, this is the fifth and final community card. But hold onto your hats, because some games mix it up here!
Showdown
If there’s more than one player left after the final betting round, it’s showdown time! Players reveal their hands, and the best five-card hand takes the pot.
Hand Rankings in Short Deck Poker
In traditional poker, the hand rankings go like this:
- Royal Flush
- Straight Flush
- Four of a Kind
- Full House
- Flush
- Straight
- Three of a Kind
- Two Pair
- One Pair
- High Card
But Short Deck flips the script! Here’s how it usually goes:
- Royal Flush
- Straight Flush
- Four of a Kind
- Flush
- Full House
- Straight
- Three of a Kind
- Two Pair
- One Pair
- High Card
Did you catch that? A flush beats a full house in Short Deck! Some games even rank Three of a Kind above a Straight.Why the shake-up? It’s all about the math, folks.
With fewer cards in the deck, some hands become harder to make. A flush is tougher to hit in Short Deck because there are only 9 cards of each suit instead of 13. That’s why it ranks higher.
Here’s a mind-blowing stat: In Short Deck, you’ll get dealt pocket Aces about 1% of the time. That’s twice as often as in regular Hold’em!The Ace is extra special in Short Deck. It can play high or low in straights.
So, A-6-7-8-9 is the lowest straight, while 10-J-Q-K-A is still the highest. Remember, some casinos might use slightly different rankings. Always check the house rules before you play. And get ready for more action and bigger hands in Short Deck Poker!
Probabilities and Odds
Let’s now discuss the odds and probabilities that are involved in Short Deck Hold’em and see what happens.
Hand Frequencies:
In Short Deck, you’ll see premium hands more often. Get this – you’ll be dealt pocket Aces about 1% of the time. That’s twice as often as in regular Hold’em! But don’t get too excited. Those Aces aren’t as strong as you might think.
Drawing Odds:
Drawing hands get a boost in Short Deck. An open-ended straight draw has about a 45.5% chance of hitting by the river. In regular Hold’em, it’s only 31.5%.
That’s a big jump!But watch out for flush draws. They’re actually harder to hit. The odds of completing a flush draw on the turn or river drop from about 35% in regular Hold’em to 30% in Short
Deck.Premium Hands:
You’ll see more big hands in Short Deck. Two pair and three of a kind show up more often. But remember, everyone else is getting better hands too!
Here’s a cool stat: In Short Deck, you’ll flop a set with a pocket pair about 18% of the time. In regular Hold’em, it’s only about 12%.The Rule of 2 and 4 doesn’t work in Short Deck. Instead, multiply your outs by 3 for the turn and 6 for the turn and river.
It’s like the game is on fast forward! Remember, these changes mean you need to adjust your strategy. What’s strong in regular Hold’em might not be as powerful in Short Deck. Keep these odds in mind, and you’ll be ready to tackle this exciting poker variant!
Strategy Considerations in Short Deck Hold’em
Because Short Deck Poker is a whole new ballgame, you need to change things up a bit.
1. Adjusting Starting Hand Selection
In Short Deck, you can play more hands than in regular Hold’em. Why? Because there are fewer cards in the deck, so you’re more likely to hit something good. Here’s the scoop:
Pocket pairs are gold. You’ll get dealt these bad boys about 8.6% of the time, compared to 5.9% in regular Hold’em.
Suited connectors are way more valuable. For example, J♣T♣ has about 50% equity against AK offsuit. That’s way better than in regular Hold’em!
Broadway cards (10 through Ace) are still strong, but not as dominant as in regular Hold’em.
Pro tip: Don’t overvalue small pocket pairs. In Short Deck, hands like 66 or 77 aren’t as strong as you might think.
2. Post-flop Play Adaptations
Once the flop hits, you’ve gotta change gears. Here’s how:
One pair hands are weaker. In Short Deck, players hit big hands more often, so that top pair might not be the nuts.
Drawing hands are stronger. An open-ended straight draw on the flop has about a 45.5% chance of hitting by the river. That’s way higher than the 31.5% in regular Hold’em!
Flush draws are trickier. They’re harder to hit (only 30% chance by the river), but they’re more valuable when you do hit them.
Remember, in most Short Deck games, a flush beats a full house. So if you’ve got a flush draw, you might be drawing to the nuts!
3. Importance of Position and Aggression
Position is king in all poker games, but in Short Deck, it’s like wearing the crown and holding the scepter too!
- Play more hands in late position. You’ll have more info and can put pressure on your opponents.
- Be cautious in early position. You don’t know what monsters are lurking behind you.
As for aggression, Short Deck is like regular Hold’em on steroids. Here’s why:
- Equities run closer. This means more players see flops, so you gotta fight hard for those pots.
- Stack-to-pot ratios are often smaller. This leads to more all-in situations.
Jason Somerville, a poker pro, says: “So many people see flops [in short deck], the decision trees are harder to solve than no-limit. That makes short deck more complicated.
Popular Variants and Formats of Short Deck Hold’em
Cash Games vs. Tournaments
Cash games are the bread and butter of Short Deck. You can jump in anytime, play as long as you want, and cash out whenever. It’s like a poker buffet – come and go as you please!Tournaments, on the other hand, are like a poker marathon.
You buy in, and play until you’re out or you win the whole shebang. The Triton Poker Series has made a big splash with their Short Deck tourneys. In 2019, the World Series of Poker even added a $10,000 Short Deck event!
Online and Live Play Options
Want to play in your PJs? Online poker sites like WPT Global and Natural8 offer Short Deck games at all stakes. You can grind micro-stakes or play high-roller games, all from your couch.Prefer the feel of real chips? Live poker rooms are catching on too.
Casinos in Macau and Las Vegas are leading the charge. The Aria in Vegas even has a regular Short Deck cash game running. Here’s a cool stat: In 2018, the Triton Super High Roller Series in Montenegro had a Short Deck event with a whopping $1,000,000 buy-in!
Pros and Cons of Short Deck Poker
| Pros | Cons |
| More action: Players see flops more often (about 40% of the time vs. 25% in regular Hold’em) | Steeper learning curve: Traditional Hold’em players need to adjust their strategies |
| Bigger pots: The ante-only structure leads to larger pots | Higher variance: More swings in bankroll due to increased action |
| Faster gameplay: Hands play out quicker with fewer cards | Different hand rankings: Flushes beat full houses, which can be confusing at first |
| More premium hands: Pocket pairs come twice as often | Tougher decisions: With stronger average hands, players face more challenging choices |
| Exciting draws: Open-ended straight draws hit 45.5% of the time (vs. 31.5% in regular Hold’em) | Reduced edge for skilled players: Increased luck factor can be frustrating for pros |
| Novel experience: Offers a fresh twist on traditional poker | Limited availability: Not as widely offered as regular Hold’em |
| High-stakes appeal: Popular among Triton Poker Series pros | Bankroll management challenges: Requires larger bankrolls due to increased variance |
| Suited connectors shine: Hands like J♣T♣ have about 50% equity against AK offsuit | Flush draws are weaker: Only 30% chance to hit by the river (vs. 35% in regular Hold’em) |
Conclusion
Short Deck Poker is on a roll, folks! This high-octane variant is gaining traction fast, with more casinos and online platforms jumping on board.
As players get a taste of the amped-up action, we’re likely to see Short Deck become a staple in poker rooms worldwide. Want to give it a shot?
Here are some quick tips: Start with lower stakes to get a feel for the game, brush up on the new hand rankings, and be ready for more aggressive play.
Remember, drawing hands are stronger, but so are everyone else’s hands! Keep an eye on your bankroll, as the swings can be wild. With its unique blend of skill and excitement, Short Deck Poker is set to shake up the poker world for years to come!
