I'm making an effort to finally learn PLO8, but after hands like these, I wonder if I'm ever going to get there.

Poker Stars
Pot Limit Omaha Ring game
Blinds: $0.10/$0.25
6 players


Stack sizes:
UTG: $8.45
UTG+1: $16.95
CO: $17.70
Button: $14.90
SB: $5.15
Hero: $23.90

Pre-flop: (6 players) Hero is BB with
UTG raises to $0.5, UTG+1 folds, CO calls, Button folds, SB calls, Hero calls.

Flop: ($2, 4 players)
SB checks, Hero checks, UTG bets $1.25, CO raises to $2.5, SB folds, Hero ?????

All day long I could pretty much count on 2 high cards on the flop if I have A2. Now, I finally flop a nut low draw, and this happens.


Poker Stars
Pot Limit Omaha Ring game
Blinds: $0.10/$0.25
8 players


Stack sizes:
UTG: $14.60
UTG+1: $16.55
Hero: $23.30
MP2: $24.75
CO: $22.30
Button: $1.15
SB: $12.35
BB: $21.60

Pre-flop: (8 players) Hero is MP1 with
UTG folds, UTG+1 calls, Hero calls, 3 folds, SB calls, BB checks.

Flop: ($1, 4 players)
SB bets $0.5, BB folds, UTG+1 calls, Hero calls.

Turn: ($2.5, 3 players)
SB checks, UTG+1 bets $2.4, Hero ????

My low gets counterfeited but I pick up a nut flush draw. Any reason to continue here?

hand 1

a lot of this depends on reads.

the safe route is simply to fold -- you may very well be up against a high hand and the same low. furthermore, you might get caught in a squeeze.

since 5s and Qs give you good high potential, it might be worth peeling one off. you have position, so you'll get to see what the others do. if you know one of the villains pimps bare nut lows, then you might be able to push out the third player when the low comes (if you think your high stands a good chance of being good). i personally take notes on these people, and i'll go to the felt with them with the nut low (sometimes draw) and any pair. sometimes i get quartered, sometimes i don't. the best part is that i can often steal from them on the turn if the low doesn't make it. the potential problem with this strategy in this hand is that you need to be able to figure out how strong the third player is (i.e., does he have a set that he won't lay down).

it's also possible to ram and jam this on the flop, but that requires some fold equity that you may not have at the 25s.


hand 2

reads would be good here.

if villain is tricky (betting scare cards), i might peel one off. if his bet usually equals the nut low, then i'd fold. having position is good here, so you might freeze villain on the river and your AK high might be good for half or you might hit one of your big cards.

also note that if villain will bet this with any janky low assuming that someone just got counterfeited, you can sometimes take the low with a low river card. this requires a decent read, but it's a good weapon to have in the arsenal.