How Do You Play Short Deck Poker?

Short Deck Poker, also known as Six Plus Hold’em, is a relatively new poker game that has gained popularity in recent years. It is played with a standard 52-card deck, but with all cards below 6 removed, leaving only cards ranging from 6 to Ace. In this article, we will go through the basics of playing Short Deck Poker.

Rules of Short Deck Poker

The rules of Short Deck Poker are similar to those of Texas Hold’em. The game begins with each player being dealt two hole cards face down. Then there is a round of betting where players can call, raise or fold.

After the betting round is complete, three community cards are dealt face up on the table (the flop). This is followed by another round of betting.

Next, a fourth community card (the turn) is dealt followed by another round of betting. Finally, a fifth and final community card (the river) is dealt and there is one last round of betting.

The player with the best five-card hand wins the pot.

Hand Rankings in Short Deck Poker

The hand rankings in Short Deck Poker are slightly different from those in Texas Hold’em due to the fact that there are fewer cards in play. In Short Deck Poker, three-of-a-kind beats a straight and a flush beats a full house.

Here are the hand rankings for Short Deck Poker:

  • Royal Flush
  • Straight Flush
  • Four-of-a-Kind
  • Flush
  • Full House
  • Straight
  • Three-of-a-Kind
  • Two Pair
  • Pair
  • High Card
PRO TIP:Short deck poker is a variant of Texas Hold’em in which all cards lower than six are removed from the deck. This creates a reduced deck size of 36 instead of the usual 52. The game is played with blinds and antes, just like regular Texas Hold’em, however the hand rankings are slightly different. Players should familiarize themselves with these new hand rankings before playing short deck poker.

Strategy for Short Deck Poker

Short Deck Poker is a fast-paced game with many opportunities to make big hands. Due to the smaller deck size, there is a higher probability of hitting strong hands and making big bets.

One strategy for playing Short Deck Poker is to be more aggressive pre-flop. This is because the chances of hitting a strong hand are higher, so you want to be in the pot with a good hand.

Another strategy is to pay attention to the cards that have been removed from the deck. Since all cards below 6 have been removed, there are fewer low cards in play which means that it is less likely for someone to make a low straight or flush.

Finally, position is key in Short Deck Poker just like in Texas Hold’em. If you are on the button or in late position, you can take advantage of seeing what other players do before making your own decision.

Conclusion

Short Deck Poker is an exciting and fast-paced game that has gained popularity in recent years. With its unique rules and hand rankings, it offers a new challenge for poker players looking for something different.

By being more aggressive pre-flop, paying attention to the cards that have been removed from play, and using position to your advantage, you can increase your chances of winning at Short Deck Poker. So why not give it a try and see if you can master this exciting new game!