Six Plus Hold'em (short deck)
The twos to fives are removed, leaving 36 cards. With fewer cards, flushes are harder to make, so in most rule sets a flush beats a full house. Many games also rank three of a kind above a straight. Check the hand ranking in the lobby before you sit down.
Hands run closer to each other in strength, and drawing hands gain value. Pairs and high connected cards are worth more than in standard Hold'em.
Fast-fold poker
When you fold, you move instantly to a new table with new opponents. You play many more hands per hour, and reads on individual players matter less. Tight, solid play works best; the pace punishes loose calls.
Switch and hybrid formats
Some casino poker games let you swap cards between two hands, or add bonus side bets. Against the house these games have a fixed edge; read the paytable and the help screen to see where the cost sits.
General tips for new variants
- Read the hand rankings and the rules first.
- Play the smallest stakes or freerolls until the variant feels natural.
- Keep a separate bankroll of at least 20 buy-ins for the format.
- Review your hands after each session.
- Stop when you notice you are playing on emotion.
Our poker page lists new casinos with poker games, and the poker tips guide covers the basics.