[Guruman]

ILP, nice to see you posting a hand. I love the style myself. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

I think you played the hand perfectly, and I only hope that I'd make the same fold in the same situation with the same reads.

re:your best friend -
I dont mind his preflop call given the reads available. I don't think he can fold because of how wide button's limping range and your raising range will be. he also clearly can't raise it up for deception or value.

on the flop i'm positive that you'd advocate a call from him for the same reasons you had to fold, and I'd tend to agree. I think it's perfectly legit to play wa/wb vs you with the fish padding the pot. He's essentially got position on the one dangerous player in the hand and he doesn't want to push the fish off of a worse hand like a pp. Also, if he calls here I don't think you'll bet the turn without an A or K since everyone's pre-announced their calls. This makes his moves exceedingly easy to play depending on whether or not button sticks around.

On the turn I'm torn between whether or not he should bet into the passive player. I suppose the answer depends entirely on button's mindset and calldown range. Will he call all the way down with his pp and 'underboat'? will he see the river with any two hoping to boat up? If he will then I like the bet. If not then I don't.

on the river he clearly had to fold to the raise. My thoughts about a bet there are very similar to the one on the turn. If button will showdown any pocket pair and will refuse to raise a2-abig then I like the bet for value. if not then there's no value in it and he should just check and hope button checks behind.