In general, I dislike rules like 'bet if 3- players check if 4+ players'. Player reads and flop texture are equally important.

I think the flop call would be close but OK. I gave some reasons in post #15. But basically, to put it another way, this flop is almost like a 1 card flop, so the pair outs, even the 8, are more live here than on most flops. Depending on how SB interprets the players' tendencies (the fact that nobody donked and what range he puts you on when you c-bet on the button), he could estimate that he has enough outs to draw in this sizable pot. Given that it's close, he could have some other thoughts running through his head, like:

- "what the hell, close enough and I'm bored sitting here getting two playable hands an hour"
- " I want to show up with some unexpected hands so everybody thinks I'm a donkey and gives me action next time"
- " if I call now, I can bluff raise the hell out of that nitty player on the button if I catch the flush draw or bluff on the river if he checks the turn"
- " I am a GTO aficionado and I think some of my range must consist of somewhat wacky hands so that my opponents can't soul read me and play perfectly against my range"
- " Despite what the button may think, I'm actually not really that solid and don't quite know what the hell I'm doing. Oh, and I'm also drunk"

It might be ok for sb to call pf, but on the flop its an easy automatic fold because sb has terrible position and the chance someone raise behind or sb hand is dominated , its pretty high.

Sb calling flop here would be a huge leak imo, probably a calling station status...