Home Poker House Etiquette (Long)

[Burnt Toast]

I am looking for some advice on how to host a home poker game. I have a lot of casino poker experience, and I am under the impression that a home game host should take on many of the same responsiblities that the casino takes on in a casino poker room. Like the casino I should be keeping the banking accurate, interpreting the rules, etc. Ultimately after all arguements are heard I should be the one to make a final clear cut decision. Of course all of this should be done within reason, but many of the players I have started playing with do not seem to agree with my intentions. While the game is usually low limit antes and between friends, I still feel that the house rules should be strictly enforced whenever there is a disagreement. The rules may only be bypassed by a player that is agreeing to give up on his own benefits/privaleges (not someone elses). This is mostly to protect the integrity of the game. There are some unknown players that show up every now and then, and also some games with progressive pots get excessive.

Before I ramble on anymore I would greatly appreciate any websites or articles on this subject. (www.pokerpages.com had articles but they only mentioned the dealers responsibilty)

Specficially, here is what happened. Last night we had an unknown player playing (a friend of a friend, we'll call him UP). I am as usual trying to be fair and keep the game running. This has already led to a number of comfrontations with UP. An example would be that he persistently insited that no legal poker game allowed check raises. It seems that I maybe the only person at the table that understands the play. Ironically most of the players seem to side with UP (even though they know I am a regular casino poker player. Of course they have never experienced a game with me.)

Anyway we start playing some kind of 1 card pass the trash type game. Basically, everyone is delt 1 card. The player to the left of the dealer starts. That player has the option of either trading with the player to his left or keeping his card. It then goes to the next player who has the same option. When it gets to the dealer he has the option to trade with the top card on the deck. The player left with the lowest card in his hand pays one of his antes into the pot. The deal then rotates and we play again untill all the antes are gone.

Misunderstanding #1
The action gets to the dealer. He turns his card face up (with no indication of whether he is playing this card or not). He then proceds to deal the top card off the deck, while everyone else has began turning thier cards over for the showndown. I suggest he leave his original card face down if he is trading with the deck. The peanut gallery responds with "stop being so anal" comments. I let it slide and now others decide to start doing the same thing.

Misunderstanding #2
New hand. Its the UP's turn to act. He asks me if I am going to look at my card. I say no, assuming that he'll declare his action and then I'll look (just to avoid giving off tells). Almost at the same time I realize I should have been more clear, and I move my hands to protect my card. As UP sees me going to protect my card he snatches it away. I then tell him he can not grab my card away from me like that no matter what I say. There is not place for snatching cards in any kind of poker game. As usual nobody wants to here my point of view even though I believe (and they all know by now that I believe) the host has the final say. UP says its a normal part of this game. I disagree. tell him no to do it again and let it slide. This really aggitated me though.

Misunderstanding #3
UP is the dealer, and it is his turn to act. He turns over the Qs and clearly says I stay. This card has previously been explained to him as the losest possible card in this game (outside of normal order). About 2 seconds later he says wait a minute and deals one off the top of the deck as his new card. Again I interject. I say if I am not allowed to renig then you can't either. Of course many people again disagree, and I again am unable to get in an explanation.

Usually this kind of error is easy to forgive, but my aggiation had been building. Mostly due to the card snatching. So at this point I tell them I cannot play under these conditions. I surrender the rest of my antes and exit the game. Arguements are still flying. I'm still too anal, etc. The game breaks up and I buy the chips back into the bank.

Now, I personally dont want to break the game up permanently. And yes most of us were drunk, but I don't understand why these guys dont see the importance of maintaining this games integrity. I also didnt think that it bothered them that I often win. I dont rub it in when I do, and I often play down to there level just to keep the game social. Afterall, I do not play these games to make money. On this particular night I was down twenty. Maybe they that my antics were me being a sore loser.

Anyway thats my sad story. Please give me some advice.
thanks

Toast.