Hello O8 players,
I have been playing the game for a good amount of time. I am actually grinding the game online, 4-6 tables per session. I have a theory that you might have run into. What would you do when you flop the nut low? What is your plan after that? I mean you cannot improve your high hand at all.
I actually think it is one of the trickiest situation. I have folded couple times like that because the stress of getting counterfeit and result in 1/2 or 1/4 of the pot.

It might be better if you clarify. It is hard for you to have absolutely no high equity. When you say that you cannot improve your high hand, this is confusing. Please give an example of what you are talking about.
Thanks for your post.

Let's say you have A25K rainbow. 6 ways action to the flop 678 rainbow. One small bet, call, then pot, fold, up to you. What you do? what is the right move?
Obviously, most people or I say low level players, would be an instant call regardless the bet. But In the long run, would a fold have more value?

Gotcha... In Limit O8, this is almost never a fold multiway.

In PLO8, this becomes a much harder (and expensive) decision.

With the action given in your example, many factors will play a role.

Here are a couple. There are a ton more but I will start the conversation with these.
1. Actions preflop - This can help us determine the likelihood of another A2.

2. Math. You need to do an equity calculation at each decision point to see if it is profitable to move forward. Based on your example hand, we would need to find the exact amounts and be able to assess a range for each Villain to get an exact answer.

I would go so far as to say never. And if it is still multi-way on the river, I am capping it with a naked nut low nearly 100% of the time.

I agree with this. Playing naked nut low hands is tricky in PLO8, because you're much more likely to end up heads up where the only likely outcomes are breaking even or losing half your stack. But if you know it will be at least three handed, you should stay most of the time. Getting 1/4 three ways only costs you 1/4 of your stack, but you win 1/2 of your stack when you win the low outright (e.g., both going high or a sucker is willing to call off with A3). If your low holds up for half even 34% of the time, this is a profitable spot to get your chips in 3 ways, even if you never scoop.

That being said, there are certainly times when I fold a naked A2 on a low flop, particularly if I think it is going to end up a heads up pot. Usually that will not be until another big bet on the turn though (e.g., I might pair up one of my off cards, which would reduce my chances of getting 1/4 by a lot, non-nut highs will slow down). I'm sure someone will tell you AK is good enough to show down in PLO8, but I usually like at least a pair to play for my stack.

In your example hand, I flat call because I have the 5 as semi-protection for my low and it's likely to be at least 3-handed. I'd be hoping for scare cards to come that let me bluff out a straight on later streets and end up with a scoop.

One of biggest weapons, flopping nut low, is smooth calling flop and turn, and then firing out pot sized bet if a scare card comes on river.

For example, if there is a straight on flop (678), brick turn, 7 river. Call, Call, Pot...it's very hard for a player with 910 to call and you can scoop.

One reason, in PL and NL, you have to sometimes delay betting and have deep stacks.

I've gotten many high hands to fold this way...and of course, sometimes it blows up and I lose half my stack! Such is Omaha8!

Totally agree with all the inputs. I think the key is be patient and play it slow. Wait for the "good river" to make the move. But one thing when you are against a TAG or nitty players, they are often doing the same thing and maybe more aggressive to get headsup with another nutlow player and have a chance of 3/4 you. That is where read and understand your opponents should be in play.
Pretty much the same thing for sort of high hands. For example, flopping a set with the low is there. Very hard to continue while someone is freerolling on you.
To be honest, PLO8 is so tough to play even at microstakes.

exactly , the key to play naked nut low is to play as a bluff eg as if we had a High drawing hand and put pressure as soon as the board texture change with the low as back up

it s like Floating with air and playing with FE:
if that works we win whole pot
if not we at least have the low as back up

I fold this hand in plo8 or nlo8 in about .5 seconds flat. And I'm nowhere close to being a nit

In the example given, it depends on reads.
In many Live games you can expect the low to be good 34% of the time. But sometimes it would be a fold.
It really also depends on your ability to bluff and the likelihood of a bluff getting through - if it's heads up and you're IP on a 678 2 flush board and you're just calling pot size bets it must surely be profitable to just pot any street that villain checks.