I've never played online, and I'm assuming that's what pokerstars is. But...


<BLOCKQUOTE>However, I'm at a bit of a loss for preflop strategy. What hands are really worth pumping? Is there anything you'd move allin preflop with?</BLOCKQUOTE>


In NL, I want to see the flop as cheply as possible. I might make or encourage small raises to build the pot. This later induces bluffs and encourages callers who would bail out of a smaller pot.


With some money in front of me, to get it all in preflop I want to be sure that I will isolate a weak player. I will, however, make a modest move to steal preflop. For some reason, these moves work better UTG in NL O8 than they do in late position, at least in the games I play.


<BLOCKQUOTE>I don't think even AA23ss has enough overlay to move in with.</BLOCKQUOTE>


If I was short stacked, I wouldn't hesitate to go in with this preflop, and wouldn't mind the whole table coming along with me.


<BLOCKQUOTE>How much should i be willing to call in terms of stack size against a preflop raiser?</BLOCKQUOTE>


This depends on so many things. I like to have the aggressor on my left in a drawing game like O8 because I can count the callers before it gets to me and know what the odds are. Does this make sense? I can count the callers, count how much I have left, count how much everyone else has left, figure how many call if I hit, and then know what to do. With the aggressor on your right, you still have to have the same information, but you must guess at it. With the aggressor on your right, however, you have another option: you can encourage or discourage callers by calling or raising.


<BLOCKQUOTE>Also, on the flop what would you need to go allin/make large raises? Nut low made, with nut flush draw perhaps? Nut low, and a set? Top set with one or no low cards out? </BLOCKQUOTE>


A standard nut low (A2) flopping isn't that hot in this game. Whereas I think limit O8 players worry too much about getting quarted, it's a big concern in NL. A quirky made low with something else going for it may be worth a move, but be careful, if you have no high. You have to move the highs off their hands, or give half the pot to someone who paired his deuce.


When you flop a high hand, you have consider when to make your move. If there are two low cards out there, you may want to make the lows pay to draw. If there is one low card on the flop, you may want to let a low card hit the turn, fire on fourth street, and hope for calls from low-chasers.


Same theory applies when you flop a set. If I have a big set and see two flush or straight cards on the flop, I may be disposed to charging the draws for more cards. But since it's so easy in this game for a nut flush draw to go with a low, this can be dangerous and it may be best to wait.


Same with flopping a flush draw. It's hard to get a set or straight off their hand, but if your flush hits on 4th street, you have to make the sets pay to draw.


I'd encourage any competent limit O8 player to play NL. You'll probably play fewer hands, and it can be one of the most boring games known to man, but it certainly is juicy.