LESS DECK. DIFFERENT DRAMA.
Short Deck · 6+.
Thirty-six cards rewrite familiar odds.
THE DEFINING TWIST
Remove twos through fives. This 6+ version has flush above full house; straight above trips.
Short deck
Know the twist.
Enjoy the table.
Illustrative hand · explore the result in Read the Table
YOUR GUIDE TO THIS VERSION
Know your table.
From first card to final reveal.
- Trim the deck. Remove every 2, 3, 4 and 5; shuffle the remaining 36.
Keep six through ace.
- Ante and button. Everyone antes; only the button posts a blind.
This is the PokerStars 6+ structure.
- Deal two. Deal two private cards each.
There are no discards.
- First betting. Action starts left of the button.
Keep this order after each reveal.
- Flop. Burn; reveal three shared cards. Bet.
Any five available cards may play.
- Turn. Burn; reveal the fourth shared card. Bet.
A–6–7–8–9 is the lowest straight.
- River. Burn; reveal the fifth shared card. Bet.
A–K–Q–J–10 remains the highest straight.
- Showdown. Best five wins; split ties. Flush beats full house.
Other short-deck houses may rank trips above straights: confirm this version before playing.
Where these rules come from.
Established poker game; not a Deal Different invention. Explanatory presentation and examples by Deal Different.
PokerStars: Short Deck · 6+ rules ↗Curated by Maanas Chopra · reviewed October 2026 · session times are estimates