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Chopping is almost never exactly 0 EV outside of tournament play.

The rake is usually more than the dead money from blinds.
This makes a chop slightly -EV

There can be more money that that in...

Just so you are prepared, be aware that it is generally not the case that you win at the same rate (in bb/100 hands) when you move up in stakes. Just like you'd expect to be crushing 10NL harder...

Any advice you hear which doesn't prompt you to think about the villain and to make an educated guess at his ranges before and after he responds to your play is bad advice.

Any advice you hear...

I'd make it a point to avoid using the word "friend" to describe this person.
It sure sounds like he doesn't respect you.
It sounds like he's a jerk who bases his appreciation of your personality...

Over and over I'm getting the theme that you want to know "what" to do to be a winning player, but you shy away from "why" it's done. You'll probably need to be vigilant to ask deeper questions...