If you are big on the traditional Texas Hold’em, you would most likely have a great time playing short deck poker. Short Deck or Six Plus Hold’em is a variant of the popular Texas Hold’em with different gameplays and hand strength. However, it has gained a lot of traction among poker lovers, particularly those seeking to try out new strategies.
How To Play Short Deck Poker?
Short Deck Poker is a lot like Texas Hold’em. Players get two hole cards. Next, the hand proceeds. With four betting rounds and five community cards, one would wonder how different it is from Hold’em but here is the catch – Short Deck Poker or Six Plus Hold’em is played using cards that are six or with a higher value.
The 2s, to 5s, are taken away from the deck, reducing the original 52-card deck to 36. If you want to calculate poker equity by odds count, you would use 3 and 6 rather than the 2 and 4 rule. Thus, it would be (x6)+6 post-flop, and (x3)+3 post-turn.
With more chances to hit, Short Deck inspires more action. Also, since the low cards are removed, premium hands tend to be more. Hand rankings change often in Short Deck, so players need to play accordingly. Also, straights gain value while flush draws lose their value.
Benefits to Short Deck Poker
- Action-filled: Short Deck Poker provides back and forth action, which is why it has been making waves in the Poker world.
- Fast plays: Since only 36 cards are used, plays become much faster
- Exciting: Short deck poker brings variety to the traditional Hold’em poker, leaving players at the edge of their seats.
- More rewards: Since you are much more likely to hit bigger hands, more rewards are in store for you. However, your opponents might fancy their chances too.
Best Short Deck Poker Sites
- Ignition Poker – Read Review
- Bovada Poker – Read Review
- ACR Poker – Read Review
Best Starting Hands in Short Deck Poker
Pocket aces and pocket kings are very strong options in Short-Deck Hold’em. Low and middle pocket pairs become much more valuable on sites where straights get beaten by sets. So, if you hit the top set on a flop, it is more likely to be nuts.
Nevertheless, some of the other premium pairs do not guarantee impressive results. For instance, unlike the traditional Hold’em, re-raising with pocket jacks and pocket queens seems a little bit too risky with Short Deck Poker.
Premium pairs are a much more common occurrence n Short Deck and this only increases the chances of smashing your kings and aces. Suited hands are the real deal since their values increase when flushes beat full houses. Jack-ten is a great hand since it is a flip against ace-king. Other strong suited hands are T-9, QT, QJ, and Ace-king suited.
Even the not-so-impressive hands like J-6 provide more value when suited. Since no one wants to discover that they are coming off with a worse draw than their opponents are, it is quite important to draw to the nuts.
Strategy To Playing Short Deck Poker
Since the game is still new, strategies evolve every now and then. It might take some time for the perfect strategy to be proven beyond doubt. For now, most people are at a similar level when it comes to Short Deck poker skills. As long as you understand the rules and know the hand rankings, you are in a great position.
With more resources, it wouldn’t be long before we see new strategies. The rankings in their most valuable order are as follows:
- Royal Flush
- Straight Flush
- Four of a Kind
- Flush
- Full House
- Straight
- Three of a Kind
- Two Pair
- One Pair
- High Card
Thus, a straight flush easily beats a full house. Two pair hands, straights, pocket aces, and full houses are easier to make. In essence, the removal of the low-value cards in Short Deck poker changes the basic strategy of the game. Knowing the implications of these changes would definitely increase your chances of winning.
However, here are some tips to have at the back of your mind:
- Do not run away from draws
- Connected hands have much strength
- Hand equities run closer
- You can open-limp with many hands
- Single pair hands hardly win a pot
- Avoid big pocket pairs since they are less valuable
- Feel free to over-bet when the feeling comes
Top 3 Online Poker Sites
Short Deck originated in 2014 in Asia. Poker giants all over the world soon adopted what started out as a high-stakes affair. Since being discovered, the game has evolved repeatedly. A draw-heavy action and higher chances of better starting hands add a new dimension of entertainment for the modern poker player. Let’s take a look at 3 of the best online poker sites to be playing on right now.
1. Ignition Poker
Ignition Poker along with sister site Bovada, is renowned for providing quality gambling experience. The ramped-up platform provides a lot of poker options including Short Deck Poker. There is an accessible $3,000 welcome bonus for new players with a combined poker and casino bonus. They also have some of the highest traffic of all poker sites in the United States with over 6000 players at peak times. This applies to cash games, sit n go’s, and large multi table tournaments.
Cash games and tournaments are available on the platform and the site provides a strategy guide for poker players. You can access the room through your desktop or mobile browser. You can get started on Ignition Poker here.
Pros
- Providing the best banking options
- Largest poker site in the United States
- User-friendly interface
- Ignition rewards points
- Allows up to 4 tables at a time
- Top-quality gaming software
- Mobile friendly
- Excellent customer service
Cons
- Rewards program could be better
2. Bovada Poker
Bovada is a first-class online gambling provider offering full casino gaming experience. The casino was launched in 2011 and has since established itself as a well-integrated platform and one of the best poker sites in the country. Bovada members can switch from casino games to racing or sports betting with just one account.
The poker room provides instant play for several games including cash games and premium tournaments. You will find Short Deck on the site as well. There are regular poker events scheduled throughout the week and on weekends. You can get started on Bovada Poker here.
Pros
- Quality games
- Premium banking methods
- Trusted brand
- Mobile friendly
- Excellent customer support
- Regular promos
Cons
- Credit card deposits at Bovada all come with a 5.9% fee
3. Americas Cardroom
Short Deck is a recent addition to Americas Cardroom. ACR was created in 2011 and remains the largest site on site on the Winning Poker Network. The site has cash games and tournaments for poker players of all levels and this includes Short Deck Poker. ACR offers a welcome bonus of 100% up to $1,000 on the first deposit and has a Loyalty program with a top-tier rewards system. You can get started on ACR Poker here.
Pros
- Accepts USA players
- Has an advanced mobile site
- Good loyalty program
- Accepts cryptocurrencies
- Soft competition
Cons
- Limited high stakes action
- Relatively high minimum deposit and withdrawal limits
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Final Thoughts
Short deck poker is a fun new variant to try out if you’re tired of no limit holdem. The truth is this game is exciting but just like anything it has a learning curve. It’s best to practice playing this format for awhile before heading over to the high-stake tables.
Short Deck Poker offers unlimited twists and turns when compared to the traditional Hold’em. The Card reduction in Short Deck changes strategies and outcomes. Thanks to its increasing popularity, both beginners and experts can play the game on reputable sites online. Good luck on the virtual felt!
