//assume we already have a database connection

$query = "SELECT id 
            FROM movies 
           WHERE publish = 1
             AND showimage = 1
        ORDER BY date DESC
           LIMIT 6";

$result = $connection->query($query);

while ($row = $result->fetch_assoc()) {
    //do some stuff
}
	
// row counter
$counter = 1;
// loop through each row
while($row = $result->fetch_assoc()) {
    // If there is more than one row remaining 
    // OR if the current row can be divided by two
    if (($result->num_rows - $counter) > 1 || ($counter % 2)) {
        // result code for even rows
        $counter++;
    } else {
        // break out of the loop
        break;
    }
}
	
$result->num_rows
	
$result->num_rows
	
SELECT size INTO @count FROM (SELECT COUNT(*) as size FROM (SELECT * FROM table LIMIT 6) l) t;
SET @count = @count - (@count % 2);
PREPARE stmt_limit FROM 'SELECT * FROM table LIMIT ?';
EXECUTE stmt_limit USING @count;
DEALLOCATE PREPARE stmt_limit;
	
while($row1 = $result->fetch_assoc() && $row2 = $result->fetch_assoc()) {
    do_something_with($row1);
    do_something_with($row2);
}
	
do_something_with($row1); 
do_something_with($row2);