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Block 10 · 10/10 live

How to Play Short Deck (Six Plus) Hold'em

Learn how to play Short Deck Hold'em: the 36-card deck, the flipped hand rankings and how the odds change. Hold'em's high-octane, action-packed cousin.

Go deeper: Short Deck rules and poker odds calculator.

  1. 01

    How to Play Short Deck: The Rules

    Start

    Short Deck is Hold'em on a 36-card deck: no low cards, button antes, flush beats boat.
  2. 02

    The changed hand rankings

    Start

    Pull 16 cards from the deck and the ranking chart shifts: a flush beats a full house, and in some rooms three of a kind beats a straight.
  3. 03

    The A-6-7-8-9 wheel

    Start

    In Short Deck the lowest straight isn't 5-high — it's the A-6-7-8-9 wheel.
  4. 04

    How the odds change

    Start

    Why 36 cards flip the odds: straights get cheap, flushes get rare, and 2x/4x breaks.
  5. 05

    Which hands to play

    Start

    Which Short Deck hands to play: pairs, suited connectors, and the two-way ace.
  6. 06

    Short Deck strategy

    Start

    Short Deck rewires the odds: play aggressive, chase straights, and fast-play flushes.
  7. 07

    Short Deck vs Hold'em

    Start

    Short Deck is Hold'em with 16 cards gone — and flipped rankings you must unlearn fast.
  8. 08

    Ruleset variants to confirm before you sit down

    Start

    Short Deck has no universal rulebook — confirm the ranking and betting toggles first.
  9. 09

    Common mistakes

    Start

    The five habits that bleed chips in Short Deck — and the quick fix for each.
  10. 10

    Short Deck: the final exam

    Start

    The Short Deck recap: 36-card deck, flipped rankings, and the leaks that cost you.