When I first sat down at a short deck poker table in Manila last summer, I had no idea how much the game would remind me of my college tennis days. See, I used to play doubles competitively, and the way short deck poker unfolds feels strikingly similar to those intense serve-and-volley exchanges where matches hinged on reflex volleys and split-second decisions. Both games reward aggressive positioning and the ability to convert on decisive poaching opportunities when they appear. Let me walk you through what I've learned about successfully playing short deck poker in the Philippines, drawing from both my card experiences and that court mentality.

The first thing that struck me about short deck—also called Six Plus Hold'em—is how the removed cards completely change hand values. With all cards below six removed from the deck, flushes actually become harder to make than straights, which reverses traditional poker logic. I remember my first major tournament at Okada Manila where I lost a significant pot—about ₱8,500—with what I thought was a monster flush draw, only to discover my opponent had already made a straight. That painful lesson taught me to mentally recalibrate hand strengths, much like how my tennis partner and I had to adjust our net positioning during tight exchanges at critical match points.

Positioning in short deck is everything, and I can't stress this enough. In regular hold'em, you might get away with playing passively from early position, but in short deck, the aggression required reminds me of those tennis players who constantly rush the net. The blinds come around faster with fewer cards in the deck, and the ante structure in most Philippine games—typically 10-15% of the big blind—creates constant pressure to accumulate chips. I've developed a strategy where I play nearly twice as many hands from late position compared to early position, something that has increased my tournament cashes by approximately 40% since I started tracking my results six months ago.

What really separates winning players from recreational ones in Philippine short deck games is how they handle those "tight exchanges"—those moments when multiple players see the flop and the pot grows rapidly. I've noticed that at venues like Resorts World Manila's poker room, the most successful regulars treat these situations like tennis players executing reflex volleys at the net. They don't hesitate; they make quick calculations and commit to their decisions. Just last month, I found myself in a three-way pot with top pair on a coordinated board, and instead of checking like I might in regular hold'em, I deployed a substantial bet that represented a much stronger hand. My thinking mirrored my old tennis doubles mentality—I was poaching the pot before my opponents could establish control, and it worked perfectly, netting me a ₱15,300 pot that became the foundation for my deep tournament run.

The social dynamics in Philippine poker rooms add another layer to the game that I absolutely adore. Filipinos are generally action-oriented players who enjoy the camaraderie of the game, which creates more of those multi-way pots I mentioned. This environment actually favors the aggressive serve-and-volley style I'm recommending. I've made more friends at Manila poker tables than anywhere else in my travels, and these relationships have given me insights into local playing tendencies. For instance, I've noticed that about 70% of local players will continuation bet on flops they've raised pre-flop, but this number drops significantly when facing resistance on turn cards—a pattern I've exploited repeatedly.

Bankroll management takes on special importance in short deck because of the game's inherent variance. The changed hand probabilities mean you'll see more dramatic swings—what we call "variance"—than in traditional poker. I maintain a separate short deck bankroll that's roughly 30% larger than my regular hold'em fund, and I never buy into games for more than 5% of this allocation. This discipline has allowed me to weather the inevitable downswings without compromising my aggressive style when those prime poaching opportunities arise.

What continues to fascinate me about short deck in the Philippines is how perfectly it suits the local gambling culture. The faster action, bigger pots, and emphasis on decisive moves align beautifully with the preferences I've observed among Filipino players. Unlike more conservative poker markets where players might grumble about the "gambly" nature of short deck, here in the Philippines, the excitement is palpable whenever the dealer announces a Six Plus game. I've come to prefer it over traditional hold'em for these very reasons—the game rewards courage and quick thinking in ways that remind me why I fell in love with competitive games in the first place.

If you're visiting the Philippines and want to try short deck poker, my advice is to embrace the aggression. Start with lower stakes—usually ₱500/₱1000 blinds are widely available—and focus on playing strong hands emphatically from position. Watch for those poaching opportunities when players show weakness, and don't be afraid to pull the trigger. The learning curve might feel steep initially, but within a few sessions, you'll start seeing the game through that serve-and-volley lens where reflex decisions become second nature. The vibrant Philippine poker scene offers the perfect environment to develop this exciting skillset, and who knows—maybe I'll see you at the tables someday, where we can test our strategies against each other in this thrilling variation of America's favorite card game.