[Loser]

I'd have to modify your Rule 3, Atro: never bring more money to the table than you're willing to lose. When it comes to how much you bet, it's time to watch the pot odds. Another rule might be "watch tells", Poker is about people, not about cards and odds and math and money.

We call the spade-split game Chicago, and play it both High and Low. I do dig Chicago. Makes for nice big pot. Wild games (Baseball, King Little, and a hundred other variations on the concept 'wild') can make for nice pots too, but mostly only when someone at the table doesn't realized that their trip-kings isn't all that much when there are six wild cards in the deck.

Not sure what you mean about the house... No house in Poker, just House Take on pots.

The only time I've ever gotten mad about losing is when I've realized that I was on tilt and playing like a fool. Then I was mad at myself, not my friend who saw my tells and took advantage of them.

As for restraint, it's important in everything. I'm not confident I will always be able to practice restriant, but for now I'm keeping it to Friendly games. Someday I'd like to get a modest sum together and go have a time at the card houses up in the mountains...