What is Short Deck Hold'em?
Short Deck plays just like Texas Hold'em: 2 hole cards each, 5 community cards and four betting rounds. The difference is the deck:
- Only the 6 through ace are kept: 9 cards per suit, 36 in total.
- The ace can play low to make the straight A-6-7-8-9 (replacing A-2-3-4-5).
- Most games use antes: everyone antes, and under some rules the button also posts a button blind.
How are Short Deck hand rankings different?
With only 9 cards per suit, a flush becomes harder to make than a full house, so Short Deck changes the order of hands:
| Rank | Short Deck | Standard Hold'em |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal flush | Royal flush |
| 2 | Straight flush | Straight flush |
| 3 | Four of a kind | Four of a kind |
| 4 | Flush | Full house |
| 5 | Full house | Flush |
| 6 | Three of a kind / straight * | Straight |
| 7 | Straight / three of a kind * | Three of a kind |
| 8 | Two pair | Two pair |
| 9 | One pair | One pair |
| 10 | High card | High card |
* Whether three of a kind or a straight ranks higher depends on the site. The common high-stakes rule is three of a kind > straight, but some sites keep straight > three of a kind. Check the table rules before you sit down.
In Short Deck the ace can play low, so A-6-7-8-9 is the lowest straight.
How the odds change, and why Short Deck is more exciting
Shrinking the deck from 52 cards to 36 changes the odds of almost everything:
For example, with an open-ended straight draw on the flop in Texas Hold'em, 8 of the 47 unseen cards are outs. In Short Deck only 31 cards are unseen, so the same 8 outs are a much bigger share. That is why draws are worth more in Short Deck than in Hold'em.
Short Deck strategy tips
- Recalibrate hand strength: a flush beats a full house, so when you draw to a flush, remember your opponent may already have a full house or better.
- Connectors gain value: suited connectors like J♥T♥ are very strong in Short Deck because they make straights and flushes more often.
- Be wary of top pair: big hands come up often, so a single pair is usually not strong enough in multi-way pots.
- Play more aggressively with antes: the pot starts bigger, so stealing the antes is worth more.
- Check the table rules: whether trips beat a straight and whether there is a button blind can vary between sites.
Poker rooms where you can play Short Deck Hold'em
These 2 rooms offer Short Deck Hold'em. Pick one for its download guide and how to join:
More on Short Deck Hold'em
FAQ
Short Deck Hold'em FAQ
How many cards are used in Short Deck Hold'em?
Short Deck removes the 2s to 5s and plays with the 6 through ace, 36 cards in total.
Does a flush beat a full house in Short Deck?
Yes. In Short Deck a flush beats a full house, because with only 9 cards per suit a flush is harder to make.
Can the ace count as low in Short Deck?
Yes. In Short Deck the ace can play as the lowest card to make the straight A-6-7-8-9.
Does three of a kind beat a straight in Short Deck?
It depends on the site. The common high-stakes rule is that three of a kind beats a straight, but some sites keep straight over trips. Check before you play.
Which rooms offer Short Deck?
ClubGG (6+), WPT Global and other rooms offer Short Deck. See the list of rooms further down this page.