The Short Deck Poker craze shows no signs of stopping as PokerStars add it to their rotation.

The worst kept secret in poker is a secret no more as PokerStars have launched their version of Short Deck Poker - 6+ Hold'em.

Players in Estonia and Denmark can already see it in their freeplay lobby, with Spanish and Global player pools expecting it tomorrow for real money.

6+ Hold'em

6+ Hold'em is the action game that is currently being enjoyed on the high stakes circuit. It plays just like regular No Limit Hold'em other than cards below 6 are removed from the deck. As such the hand rankings change and a Flush now beats a Full House, as there are less cards in the deck to make five of the same suit. Wheel straights are still possible but they are ordered A-6-7-8-9.

The blind structure has also changed. In 6+ Hold'em there is no Big or Small Blind, instead everyone pays an Ante and only the Button pays a Blind.

“6+ is an exciting poker variant that often produces big hands and a lot of action, so we’re excited to bring it to the tables”, said Chris Straghalis, Director of Poker Product at PokerStars. “While the format has proven popular with high stakes players, the range of stakes available on PokerStars and similarities to Hold’em mean that it should appeal to those who may want to try a new game but don’t want something too different. We’re looking forward to seeing what people think.”

Given how popular it already is, the fact it is available on other sites and it is a much simpler variant, the speculation is that this is a format that will be permanent at PokerStars (rather than on a short term novelty basis like other recent new formats).

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