Six Plus Hold'em (short deck)
All cards from 2 to 5 are removed, leaving 36. With fewer low cards, strong hands come more often and the rankings change: a flush beats a full house, and in many rooms three of a kind beats a straight. A-6-7-8-9 counts as a straight.
- Check the room's ranking table before you play.
- Play fewer, stronger hands; draws complete more often.
- Expect bigger pots and bigger swings.
Fast-fold poker
When you fold, you move to a new table with a new hand straight away. You see far more hands per hour, which helps tight players and punishes loose ones. Most rooms run it under their own name.
- Play tight from early position; you rarely get a read on opponents.
- Set a hand or time limit, because the pace is fast.
Swap and switch Hold'em
Some rooms let you pay to exchange one or more hole cards. The swap costs chips, so it only makes sense when the new cards are likely to improve your hand by more than the fee. Rules differ by room, so read them first.
Adapting to any new variant
- Play micro stakes or free tables first.
- Keep a bankroll of at least 20 buy-ins for cash games.
- Write down hand rankings and rule changes.
- Stop after a set loss; new games bring bigger swings.
For games where you play against the house, see our guide to games for advanced players.