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Short Deck Holdem
Author
Rodion Longa
Updated
2/5/2024

Best Short Deck Hold'em poker sites 2024

Short Deck (6+ Hold'em) is a relatively new poker variant that came to online poker from Asian casinos. It is a much more action-packed game than classic Hold'em and even Omaha. We’ll tell you about all Short Deck features and the best poker rooms to play it.

Filtered 9 from 50 poker rooms
  • Pokerbros Logo
    #1
    4.3
    PokerBros
    Independent
    Bonus
    Not available
    Rakeback
    n/a
    Review
    United States is accepted
    • Mobile poker app
  • Pppoker Logo
    #2
    4.6
    PPPoker
    Independent
    Bonus
    Not available
    Rakeback
    up to 50%
    Review
    United States is accepted
    • Mobile poker app
  • Suprema Poker new logo
    #3
    2.9
    Suprema Poker
    Independent
    Bonus
    Not available
    Rakeback
    up to 45%
    Review
    United States is accepted
    • Mobile poker app
  • Swc Poker Logo
    #4
    4.3
    SwC Poker
    Independent
    Bonus
    Not available
    Rakeback
    up to 50%
    United States is accepted
    • ItemBitcoins accepted
  • Pokerstars It Logo
    #5
    4.6
    PokerStars Italy
    Independent
    Unfortunately deal is currently unavailable
    United States is accepted
    • virtue-poker-logo
      #6
      3.9
      Virtue Poker
      Independent
      Unfortunately deal is currently unavailable
      United States is accepted
      • ItemBitcoins accepted
    • Pokertime Logo
      #7
      3.0
      PokerTime
      Independent
      Unfortunately deal is currently unavailable
      United States is accepted
      • Mobile poker app
    • 368e563a68dab6dd0f485de6bf149b8c
      #8
      3.4
      PokerKing Asia (扑克王)
      Independent
      Unfortunately deal is currently unavailable
      United States is accepted
      • Mobile poker app
    • Upoker Logo
      #9
      4.3
      Upoker
      Independent
      Unfortunately deal is currently unavailable
      United States is accepted
      • Mobile poker app
    9 from 9 poker rooms

    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 2016, but only three have acceptable traffic as of early-2024, apart from some mobile poker apps.

    Poker siteRake (cap)Rakeback
    WPT Global5%up to 40%
    PokerStars3.5%-5% ($0.3-$7)10%-35%
    GGPoker5% (3 antes)10%-60%
    iPoker skins5%-6.6% (€0.5-€4)VIP deal

    WPT Global

    Wptglobal Logo White
    #1
    4.2
    WPT Global
    Independent
    Bonus
    100% up to $1,500
    Rakeback
    VIP
    United States is not accepted
    • ItemBitcoins accepted

    GGPoker

    Ggpoker Logo
    #1
    4.8
    GGPoker
    GG Network
    Bonus
    100% up to $600
    Rakeback
    up to 60%
    United States is not accepted
    • ItemBitcoins accepted

    GGPoker is rightfully the best poker site to play Six plus Hold'em

    • Several stakes are available, with ante ranging from $0.02 to $500. During peak hours, there are 50-60 active tables at the five most popular stakes (up to $10 ante).
    • Casual players from Asia.
    • Regular daily race (Short Deck Daily $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 of $2,000,000 once a year.

    The game is played at 5-max tables and uses a “button blind” structure.

    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.

    Redstar Poker Logo
    #1
    4.7
    Redstar
    iPoker Network
    Bonus
    200% up to €2,000
    Rakeback
    up to 45%
    United States is not accepted
    • Network's best skin
    • ItemBitcoins accepted

    PokerStars

    PokerStars introduced 6+ Hold'em tables in January 2019. 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 from $0.02 to $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.

    Pokerstars Logo
    #1
    4.5
    PokerStars
    Independent
    Bonus
    100% up to $600
    Rakeback
    up to 60%
    United States is not accepted

      Differences between 6+ Hold'em and No Limit Hold'em

      1. The number of cards in the deck (36 vs. 52).
      2. Hand rankings.
      3. Higher action, higher variance
      4. Different poker math: odds, outs, and the number of unique starting hands.
      5. 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 FlushRoyal Flush
      Straight FlushStraight Flush
      4 of a kind4 of a kind
      FlushFull House
      Full HouseFlush
      3 of a kindStraight
      Straight*3 of a kind
      Two pairTwo pair
      PairPair
      High cardHigh card

       *The A-6-7-8-9 is the lowest straight hand

      Short deck poker hand rankings

      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 handProbability 
      TurnRiver
      3 of a kind – 4 of a kind3.20%6.50%
      Pair – 3 of a kind6.50%24.50%
      Gutshot straight draw – Straight12.90%30.10%
      Flush draw – Flush16.10%35.50%
      Two overcards – Top pair22.60%48.40%

      Basic strategy tips

      1. Be careful with offsuit hands. It's better not to play them, especially from early positions.
      2. Prefer suited hands and top pairs.
      3. 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). 
      4. Be careful with straight draws: even making a straight, you will still have a weaker hand than your opponent in many cases.
      5. Don't forget the basic strategy tips for classic Hold'em.
      6. Do not play many tables simultaneously - try to watch your opponents closely instead.
      7. 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.

      Advantages of our affiliate service:

      • VIP rakeback deals;
      • Professional support seven days a week;

      Contact our manager to get yourself a deal.

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      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?
      ✅ What is the best hand in Short Deck poker?
      ✅ Can I play Short Deck at PokerStars? 
      ✅ Is it possible to make a profit in the long run by playing Short Deck poker?
      ✅ How many cards are in a short deck?
      ✅ Is Short Deck poker better than Hold'em? 
      ✅ Is there an equity calculator for Short Deck?
      ✅ Are there 6+ Hold'em tournaments?
      ✅ Who invented Short Deck poker?