If you try to play Short Deck (6+ Hold’em) using standard Texas Hold’em math, you will go broke.
In Short Deck, the 2s, 3s, 4s, and 5s are removed. This reduces the deck to 36 cards, which completely alters the probabilities. Flushes become harder to hit than Full Houses, and Straights become much easier. Our Multi-Game Odds Calculator handles this complex math for you. It allows you to toggle between a 36-card deck (Short Deck) and a 52-card deck (Draw/Stud), accounting for “Dead Cards” and calculating your exact equity instantly.
Multi-Game Odds Calc
6+ & DrawHow to Use the Calculator
This tool is versatile, supporting niche variants like Triton Short Deck, 7-Card Stud, and 5-Card Draw. Here is how to set it up:
- Select Game Type:
- Standard (52 Cards): Use this for Texas Hold’em, Omaha, 7-Card Stud, or 5-Card Draw.
- Short Deck (36 Cards): Use this for 6+ Hold’em. The calculator automatically adjusts the total unknown cards.
- Select Cards to Come:
- Are you on the Flop waiting for the River? Select 2 Cards.
- Are you drawing 3 cards in 5-Card Draw? Select 3 Cards.
- Input Your Outs: Enter the number of cards that improve your hand to a winner.
- Note: In Short Deck, a flush draw only has 5 outs (9 suited cards – 4 in hand/board = 5 left), whereas in standard Hold’em it has 9 outs.
- Enter Dead/Known Cards: In games like Stud, you can see other players’ “door cards.” Enter these here to refine the math. If you see an Ace folded and you need an Ace, your odds decrease significantly.
Related Tools: If you are playing standard Texas Hold’em, use the dedicated Poker Odds Calculator for Hand vs Hand analysis. To determine if a call is profitable based on these odds, check the Pot Odds Calculator.
Real-World Examples: The Math Shift
The difference between a 52-card deck and a 36-card deck is massive. Here is how the probabilities change.
Example 1: The Flush Draw Trap
You have four hearts on the flop.
- Standard Hold’em: You have 9 outs. With 2 cards to come, your equity is roughly 35% (Rule of 4).
- Short Deck: You only have 5 outs (9 suited cards total minus 4). However, because the deck is smaller, you hit them more often than you’d think. Your equity is roughly 30-32%.
- The Insight: While the percentage is similar, the relative strength of a Flush is higher in Short Deck (it beats a Full House), making this a monster draw.
Example 2: The Open-Ended Straight Draw
You hold J-10 on a 9-8-X board.
- Standard Hold’em: 8 outs. Equity ~32%.
- Short Deck: 8 outs. Equity ~45-48%.
- The Insight: Straights are mathematically much more common in Short Deck because the cards are more connected. This is why “Set over Set” and “Straight over Straight” coolers happen frequently.
Example 3: 7-Card Stud (Dead Cards)
You have (K-K) / K and need the fourth King. Standard odds say there is 1 King left in 49 cards.
- The Stud Factor: You look around the table and see your opponent has a King as their up-card.
- The Calculator: You enter “1” into “Dead Cards.” Your probability drops to 0%. This manual adjustment is critical for Stud players.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the “Rule of 6 and 3” in Short Deck?
In Standard Hold’em, we use the “Rule of 4 and 2” (multiply outs by 4 on the flop, 2 on the turn). In Short Deck, because the deck is smaller, the math changes. You multiply your outs by 6 on the flop (2 cards to come) and by 3 on the turn (1 card to come) to get your approximate equity.
Why does a Flush beat a Full House in Short Deck?
It is strictly mathematical. In a 36-card deck, it is harder to make a Flush (fewer suited cards available) than it is to make a Full House. Since poker hand rankings are based on scarcity, the Flush is ranked higher.
Does A-6-7-8-9 make a Straight in Short Deck?
Yes. Just as A-2-3-4-5 is the low straight (Wheel) in standard poker, the Ace plays as a low card in Short Deck to form the straight A-6-7-8-9. This is often called the “Short Deck Wheel.”