What is Short deck poker?
Short deck poker, also called six-plus hold'em, is a hold'em variant played with a 36-card deck from which the 2s to 5s are removed, changing hand probabilities and rankings.
With fewer low cards, some hands become rarer than in standard poker. Flushes are harder to make than full houses, so a flush ranks above a full house. Rule sets differ on three of a kind and straights: the format used by the Triton high-stakes series keeps the straight above three of a kind, while some other rule sets rank three of a kind higher.
The ace can also play low to make the straight A, 6, 7, 8, 9. Games are usually played with antes, and the button often posts a larger ante instead of blinds.
Short deck gained popularity in Asian high-stakes games in the 2010s and has been included in major tournament series. Because hand rankings vary, the rules in use are announced before play.
