The Rise of Short Deck Hold’em: Poker’s Exciting New Variant

Short Deck Hold’em (also known as Six Plus Hold’em) has emerged as one of poker’s most dynamic and rapidly growing variants. By removing all cards below six from the deck, this game creates action-packed sessions with complex strategic implications that differ significantly from traditional Texas Hold’em. This comprehensive guide explores the origins, rules, strategy, and future of this increasingly popular poker variant that’s captivating both recreational players and high-stakes professionals.

Short Deck Fundamentals: Understanding the Game

Before diving into strategy, it’s essential to understand how Short Deck differs from standard Hold’em.

Core Game Mechanics

• Reduced deck size – All cards 2 through 5 are removed, leaving 36 cards
• Modified hand rankings – Hand values change based on mathematical probabilities
• Traditional betting structure options – Played as no-limit, fixed-limit, or pot-limit
• Antes and button blinds – Often played with an ante-only structure or button blind
• Standard community card format – Still uses two hole cards and five community cards

Modified Hand Rankings

The removal of lower cards changes the probability of making certain hands, resulting in adjusted hand rankings:

• Flush beats full house – Due to reduced likelihood of flushes
• Three of a kind beats straight – In some variations, as straights become easier to make
• Ace can still be used as low in straights (A-6-7-8-9)

Professional player Kane Kalas explains: “The hand ranking changes aren’t arbitrary—they reflect the mathematical reality of hand distribution in a 36-card deck. Understanding these probability shifts is fundamental to developing a sound Short Deck strategy.”

The Origins and Evolution of Short Deck

Short Deck’s journey from Asian cash games to global poker variant provides context for its growing popularity.

Historical Development

• Originated in high-stakes Asian private games around 2014
• Popularized by Tom Dwan and Phil Ivey through their participation in Asian cash games
• Introduced to the Western audience through Triton Poker high roller tournaments
• Adopted by major tournament series including the World Series of Poker
• Online poker integration across major platforms starting around 2018

Key Milestones in Short Deck Growth

• 2018 Triton Super High Roller Series featuring dedicated Short Deck events
• 2019 WSOP introduction of the first Short Deck bracelet event
• Online poker room implementation making the game accessible to wider audiences
• Strategic content development creating resources for learning the game
• Standardization of rules across major poker organizations

Strategic Fundamentals in Short Deck Hold’em

Short Deck requires significant strategic adjustments from traditional Hold’em approaches.

Preflop Strategy Adjustments

• Hand value recalibration – Pocket pairs and connected cards increase in value
• Reduced preflop edges – Even strong hands like AA have less significant edges
• Connectivity premium – Connected cards gain value due to straight possibilities
• Suited hands advantage – Despite flushes being harder to make, suited cards maintain importance
• Positional value increases – Position becomes even more critical with closer equities

Postflop Play Differences

• Increased drawing power – More hands have significant equity on the flop
• Higher implied odds – The ability to make strong hands creates bigger potential payoffs
• Multiway pot frequency – Pots go multiway more often due to closer preflop equities
• Nut advantage focus – Second-best hands get punished more severely
• Turn and river equity shifts – Dramatic changes in equity on later streets

Professional player Stephen Chidwick notes: “In Short Deck, you’ll correctly continue with many more hands postflop than in traditional Hold’em. The removal of low cards means more hands have significant equity, creating complex decision trees with many viable options.”

Comparative Analysis: Short Deck vs. Traditional Hold’em

Understanding the key differences helps players transitioning between variants.

Equity Differences

Structural Changes

• Variance increases due to closer preflop equities
• Skill edge materializes differently with emphasis on postflop play
• Bankroll requirements adjust to accommodate higher variance
• Hand reading complexity increases with modified probabilities
• Game flow accelerates with more playable starting hands

Advanced Short Deck Concepts

As players become comfortable with fundamentals, several advanced concepts become crucial.

Stack-to-Pot Ratio (SPR) Considerations

• Lower effective SPRs change commitment thresholds
• Implied odds calculations differ from traditional Hold’em
• Stack depth strategy adjustments become more pronounced
• Commitment decision points occur earlier in hands
• Overbet leverage opportunities increase in certain scenarios

Multiway Pot Navigation

• Equity distribution changes with multiple participants
• Range construction modifications for multiway scenarios
• Bluffing frequency adjustments in multiway situations
• Board texture significance increases with multiple ranges
• Position becomes increasingly critical with each additional player

Professional Kane Kalas advises: “In Short Deck, you’ll find yourself in multiway pots more frequently than in traditional Hold’em. This requires adjusting your continuation betting ranges, understanding how equity shifts between multiple players, and recognizing when pots become too unwieldy to bluff effectively.”

Where to Play Short Deck Hold’em

As popularity grows, Short Deck has become increasingly accessible.

Online Availability

• PokerStars offers Short Deck cash games and tournaments
• GGPoker features extensive Short Deck offerings
• iPoker Network has implemented Short Deck across multiple skins
• Coin Poker provides cryptocurrency-based Short Deck games
• Run It Once Poker periodically offers Short Deck games

Live Poker Venues

• Triton Poker Series continues featuring high-stakes Short Deck
• WSOP has incorporated Short Deck bracelet events
• Asian poker rooms offer regular Short Deck cash games
• Select Las Vegas casinos have begun spreading the game
• European poker venues increasingly adding Short Deck to their offerings

Bankroll Management for Short Deck Players

The unique variance profile of Short Deck necessitates adjusted bankroll approaches.

Short Deck Bankroll Guidelines

• Increased buy-in requirements – Typically 100-150 buy-ins for cash games
• Tournament shot taking adjustments – More conservative than traditional Hold’em
• Stop-loss importance increases due to higher variance
• Session length optimization to manage variance swings
• Stake progression caution when moving up levels

Financial advisor and poker player Bill Hubbard suggests: “Short Deck’s increased variance means even strong winning players need substantially larger bankrolls relative to stakes than they’d need in traditional Hold’em. I typically recommend 50% more buy-ins as a minimum buffer.”

The Future of Short Deck Hold’em

As the variant continues to evolve, several trends appear likely to shape its development.

Emerging Trends and Predictions

• Strategic maturation as solver solutions and advanced materials develop
• Format experimentation with new blind structures and tournament formats
• Integration with mixed games in high-stakes environments
• Televised coverage expansion highlighting the action-oriented nature
• Recreational player adoption as rules become standardized and more familiar

Potential Innovations

• Short Deck variations removing different cards or implementing different hand rankings
• Tournament structure optimizations designed specifically for Short Deck dynamics
• Online features such as time banks adjusted for the variant’s complexities
• Educational content expansion making the game more accessible to newcomers
• Celebrity player endorsements increasing mainstream visibility

Conclusion: Short Deck’s Place in the Poker Ecosystem

Short Deck Hold’em represents one of the most significant poker innovations in recent decades. By modifying a familiar game structure with seemingly small changes, it creates an entirely new strategic landscape that rewards adaptability, mathematical understanding, and postflop creativity.

Whether you’re a recreational player seeking more action-oriented sessions or a professional looking to expand your skill set, Short Deck offers refreshing challenges and opportunities. As the variant continues to grow in popularity, players who master its unique dynamics position themselves at the forefront of poker’s evolution.

The beauty of Short Deck lies in its accessibility combined with strategic depth—easy to learn but difficult to master, with enough similarities to Hold’em to feel familiar yet enough differences to feel fresh. This combination suggests that Short Deck is not merely a passing trend but rather a permanent and valuable addition to the poker landscape.

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