GGPoker Short Deck Strategy and Rakeback

## GGPoker Short Deck Strategy and Rakeback Short Deck (6+ Hold'em) on GGPoker removes all cards below 6, creating a 36-card deck that fundamentally changes hand rankings and strategy. Flushes beat full houses, and three-of-a-kind beats straights. These changes require a complete strategic overhaul. In Short Deck, hand equities run much closer together than in standard NLH. Premium pairs are still strong but much more vulnerable. Pocket aces win less often because the deck is smaller and connected boards are more frequent. Suited connectors and medium pairs increase in value significantly. The ante structure in Short Deck (everyone posts an ante, button posts a double ante) creates a large dead-money pot that encourages aggressive play. You should play more hands preflop than in standard NLH but be prepared for high-variance sessions. ## Practical Tips Short Deck generates rake similarly to NLH cash games and counts toward GGPoker Ocean Rewards tiers. If you enjoy the format, it can be a profitable niche — the player pool is smaller but often features recreational players attracted to the gambling element. ## Rakeback at Various Rakeback is particularly important at Various because it represents a larger percentage of your total earnings. At lower stakes, rakeback can equal or exceed your table winnings. At higher stakes, it remains a significant supplementary income. Use our rakeback calculator to find the best room for Short Deck (6+) at Various.