Short Deck Poker Rules (6+ Hold'em)

What is Short Deck Poker?

Short Deck Poker (also called 6+ Hold'em) is a Texas Hold'em variant using a 36-card deck instead of the standard 52. The 2s, 3s, 4s, and 5s are removed from the deck. All other rules of Hold'em apply, but hand rankings are slightly different: flushes beat full houses (because flushes are rarer in 36 cards), and the lowest straight is A-6-7-8-9. Launched in Asia around 2017, Short Deck has spread globally through Triton Poker events.

How does Short Deck differ from regular Hold'em?

Three core differences: (1) 36-card deck vs 52, removing 2s-5s; (2) Flush beats Full House (in Hold'em it's reversed); (3) Ace plays as the 5 for the wheel straight A-6-7-8-9. The math also changes — equities run tighter, pocket pairs flop sets 17% (vs 12%), and preflop hands play wider because the equity gap between strong and weak hands is smaller.

Does a Flush really beat a Full House in Short Deck?

Yes, in most Short Deck variants. The reason: in a 36-card deck, only 9 cards per suit means flush combinations are rarer than full house combinations. Math: 36-card flush probability is ~0.2%, while full house is ~0.4%. The probability inversion drives the hand ranking flip. Some house variants keep traditional Hold'em rankings — confirm before playing.

Why does Short Deck use the ace as low?

Because there's no 2-3-4-5 in the deck, the natural lowest straight A-2-3-4-5 doesn't exist. Short Deck adapts by making A-6-7-8-9 the new wheel — the ace plays as the lowest card to complete this straight. The ace still plays high for A-K-Q-J-T (Broadway). The ace's dual role is universal across Short Deck variants.

Is Short Deck more or less skill-based than Hold'em?

Roughly similar long-term skill ceiling, but with different strategic depth. Closer equities mean variance is higher per hand, but the overall game has the same skill components — preflop range construction, position awareness, postflop play. Most top Hold'em pros adapt to Short Deck quickly. Short Deck rewards aggressive players because passive play is less profitable when equities run close.

Where can I play Short Deck Poker?

Live: Triton Poker hosts the largest Short Deck events (buy-ins $25K-$1M+). Most major Asian poker rooms (especially in Macau, Vietnam, the Philippines) offer Short Deck cash games. Online: GGPoker has the largest Short Deck player pool; PokerStars and partypoker also offer it. WSOP has occasionally featured Short Deck side events. Buy-ins range from $5 micro to $1M+ at Triton.

Should I learn Short Deck if I play Hold'em?

Optional but reasonable. The skills transfer (90%+ overlap) so Hold'em players adapt quickly. Short Deck is good for variety and for capturing high-stakes Asian action. If your goal is volume cash play, Short Deck has smaller player pools online than Hold'em. If your goal is Triton-tier high-roller play, Short Deck is one of the main variants used at those events.