Tell your friend he's welcome at my home game any time.

To me it would seem if you play a lot of hands in these types of games, you are just playing to the mercy of the cards. There really isn't much strategy other than who can bluff some one off their hand, so in that way, your friend is right. In these types of games I typically try and see more flops than I normally do but only hands I have a reasonable chance of making a good hand. A lot of suited connectors and 2 broadway card hands. I also try and make people pay as much as they are willing to call with my good hands.

That has worked for me and I have played in a lot of these types of games

Mac