The Rise and Strategy of Short-Deck Poker (Six Plus Hold’em) for Beginners

You know Texas Hold’em. It’s the king, the main event, the game everyone learns first. But there’s a new(ish) player in town that’s shaking up cash games and high-stakes tournaments alike. It’s called Short-Deck Poker, or Six Plus Hold’em. And honestly, it’s a blast.

Imagine taking a standard deck and stripping out all the low cards—the deuces, threes, fours, and fives. You’re left with a deck from 6 through Ace. That’s it. 36 cards total. This simple change creates a whirlwind of action. Hands are stronger, draws come in more often, and the game moves at a breakneck, thrilling pace. Let’s dive into why it’s become so popular and, more importantly, how you can start playing it without donating your stack.

Why Short-Deck Poker Exploded in Popularity

Well, the story goes that it caught fire in high-stakes cash games in Asia. Big-name pros loved the adrenaline rush—the constant big hands and dramatic swings. From there, it spread like wildfire online and into major tournament series. The World Series of Poker even has events for it now.

Its appeal is simple: it solves the “boredom” problem some players have with traditional Hold’em. You’re rarely waiting around for a playable hand. The action is frequent and forceful. It feels, for lack of a better word, juicier. Every pot feels contestable, which of course, is both a danger and an opportunity.

The Core Rule Changes You Must Know

Okay, before we talk strategy, you gotta understand the rule twists. It’s not just fewer cards. Those missing low cards cause some fascinating domino effects.

1. The New Hand Rankings

This is the biggest shocker for beginners. A flush now beats a full house. Let that sink in. Why? Because with fewer cards in each suit, making a flush is actually harder than making a boat. The new order, from strongest to weakest, is:

• Royal Flush
• Straight Flush
• Four of a Kind
• Flush
• Full House
• Straight
• Three of a Kind
• Two Pair
• One Pair
• High Card

Also—and this is crucial—a straight is easier to make. A-6-7-8-9 counts as a straight, because the Ace can play as both high and low. That A-6-7-8-9 is now the lowest possible straight.

2. Preflop Hand Values Get a Shake-Up

With the deck condensed, the relative strength of starting hands shifts. Big pairs are still monsters, but suited connectors and gappers become absolute gold. A hand like 9-8 suited is massively powerful because it can make so many straights and flushes. Meanwhile, Ace-King gains even more value as a drawing hand to the nut flush.

Hand in Short-Deck	Why It’s Stronger
9♥ 8♥	Hits straights & flushes more often; dominates similar draws.
A♠ K♠	Better flush potential; still top pair power.
J-10 offsuit	Straight potential skyrockets; often a favorite vs. overpairs.

Beginner Strategy: Adjusting Your Mindset

If you try to play Short-Deck like Texas Hold’em, you’ll get run over. Here’s the deal: you have to be more aggressive. Way more aggressive. The math of the game demands it.

Play More Hands, Especially in Position

Because everyone’s hand strength is elevated, you can’t just wait for A-A or K-K. You’ll get blinded out. Hands like K-10, Q-J, any two suited cards 7 or higher… they’re all playable, especially when you’re on the button or in late position. Position is king, maybe even more so than in traditional poker.

Draws Are Everything. Bet Them.

In Six Plus, your draws are often favorites or very close to it on the flop. You flop an open-ended straight draw? You have roughly 45% equity against a top pair. That’s huge. So you don’t just call—you bet, you raise, you put maximum pressure on. Passive drawing is a surefire way to lose.

Think of it like this: in Short-Deck, you’re not just drawing to win; you’re betting to win right now. The semi-bluff is your most powerful weapon.

Overpairs Are Vulnerable. Tread Carefully.

Here’s a classic beginner trap. You get Queens preflop, raise, get called. The flop comes J-8-6 rainbow. You bet, get called. Turn is a 9. You bet again… and get raised all-in. In Hold’em, you might sigh and call. In Short-Deck? Your opponent could easily have 10-7 for the already-made straight, or a combo draw like J-10. That overpair feels like a castle made of sand as the board gets wetter.

You have to be willing to let go of one-pair hands faster. It hurts, but it’s necessary.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid as a New Player

We all make mistakes. Here are a few to sidestep from the get-go:

• Overvaluing Top Pair: It’s just not that strong anymore. It’s often a second-or-third-best hand kind of situation.
• Being Scared of the Flush: Yes, flushes are rare and powerful. But if you’re drawing to a non-nut flush, be cautious. Remember, flushes beat full houses—someone with a set is also drawing live to beat you.
• Ignoring Stack Sizes: With all-in situations happening constantly, your chip stack relative to the blinds is critical. Play aggressively when short, and don’t be afraid to get it in with strong draws.

Is Short-Deck Poker Here to Stay?

It sure looks like it. It’s not a fad anymore; it’s a staple. The game offers a perfect cocktail for the modern poker appetite: faster action, bigger pots, and complex but learnable strategy. It forces you to think in terms of ranges and equity rather than just “do I have a good hand?”

For a beginner, it’s a fantastic—if volatile—training ground for aggressive, mathematical poker. You’ll learn about equity, pressure, and hand reading at an accelerated pace. Sure, the swings can be dramatic. But the excitement is real. The game feels alive, every single hand.

So maybe grab some play chips online, or find a low-stakes home game. Remember the new rankings, embrace the draw, and don’t fall in love with a single pair. The deck might be shorter, but the strategy, well, it just gets deeper.