Winning Big in Short Deck Hold’em

July 4, 2025 Blog

Short Deck Hold’em, also known as Six Plus Hold’em, has rapidly gained popularity for its fast-paced and action-packed gameplay. The game is similar to Texas Hold’em but played with a 36-card deck (cards 2 through 5 are removed), which changes hand values and Master Poker Vietnam strategies significantly. To succeed and win big in Short Deck Hold’em, you need to adjust your tactics and understand the unique dynamics of this exciting variant.

Understand the Differences in Hand Rankings

In Short Deck Hold’em, hand rankings are slightly altered to reflect the smaller deck size:

  • Flush beats full house: Due to fewer cards, flushes are rarer than full houses, so flushes rank higher.

  • Straights can be made with fewer cards: The shorter deck means straights occur more frequently.

Knowing these differences helps you accurately assess hand strength and avoid costly mistakes.

Adjust Your Starting Hand Selection

With fewer cards in the deck, hand ranges widen, and you’ll see stronger hands more often. Play more aggressively with premium hands but be cautious with speculative holdings.

Focus on:

  • High pairs (TT+) and strong broadway cards (AK, AQ)

  • Suited connectors and suited aces, which gain value due to flush potential

  • Avoid weak offsuit hands that lose value in this format

Emphasize Position and Aggression

Position remains vital in Short Deck Hold’em, as acting last gives you maximum information. Combine this with an aggressive style to put pressure on opponents, especially in early streets where post-flop play is fast and dynamic.

Aggression helps you:

  • Take down pots preflop or on the flop

  • Control pot size

  • Force opponents into tough decisions

Be Wary of Draws and Pot Control

Draws are more common in Short Deck due to the condensed deck. You need to pay close attention to potential flushes and straights on the board.

Manage the pot by:

  • Betting for value with strong made hands

  • Using pot control to avoid committing too many chips with vulnerable holdings

  • Folding marginal hands facing heavy aggression

Adapt to Opponent Tendencies

Many players are still learning Short Deck Hold’em, so table dynamics can vary wildly. Observe your opponents carefully:

  • Identify loose players chasing draws

  • Exploit overly tight players by stealing pots

  • Adjust your aggression based on who folds and who calls frequently

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