Short deck (6+) poker rules for beginners

Short deck, also called 6+ Hold’em, is Texas Hold’em played with a 36-card deck: all the 2s, 3s, 4s and 5s are removed. Because there are fewer cards, some hands become rarer and the hand rankings change. The most important difference: a flush beats a full house.

What stays the same

Two hole cards each and five community cards.
Preflop, flop, turn and river.
Make the best five-card hand from seven cards.

What changes

36 cards: from 6 up to ace in each suit.
The ace can be low: A-6-7-8-9 is the lowest straight.
Flush beats full house, because flushes are harder to make with only nine cards per suit.
Three of a kind vs straight: in some versions three of a kind beats a straight. Rules differ between rooms, so check the table rules.
Many games use antes and a button blind instead of normal blinds.

Short deck hand rankings (common online version)

Royal flush
Straight flush
Four of a kind
Flush
Full house
Three of a kind or straight (depends on the room’s rules)
Two pair
One pair
High card

Strategy changes for Hold’em players

Hands are closer in equity, so many more hands are playable.
Pairs and draws are stronger: an open-ended straight draw has fewer outs, but straights come more often.
Big pots are common, so start at low stakes.

KKPoker offers 6+ tables. See KKPoker games and the classic hand rankings for comparison.

FAQ

What is short deck poker?

Texas Hold’em played with a 36-card deck, without the 2s, 3s, 4s and 5s. It’s also called 6+ Hold’em.

Does a flush beat a full house in short deck?

Yes. With fewer cards per suit, flushes are rarer, so they rank above full houses.

Can the ace be low in short deck?

Yes. A-6-7-8-9 is a straight, the lowest one in short deck.

Does three of a kind beat a straight in short deck?

In some versions, yes. Rules differ between rooms, so check the table rules before you play.