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NEAPOLITAN CLUB

The ideas of system

The Neapolitan Club comes mainly from H. S. Vanderbilt ' s Strong Club (1926) and from the Culberston System (1934). It employs sound openings and overcalling, and fully protected 3NT contract. As logical corollary for such sound system, it obeys the principle “first double”: it's better to punish opponents instead of looking for our own game contract.

Contested auction

Middle strength jump overcall: 12-15 points with a good six or more card suit. Standard double, takeout up to 4♦. 2NT overcall: clubs and lower rank free suit, reverse strength. Direct cue-bid: game forcing.

When LHO overcalls at one level, the double is punitive. When LHO doubles, the redouble is forcing up to game or at least to level 4 in a minor.

Openings

1♣: 17+, but 21-22 balanced and full protected (2NT).

1♥, 1♠: 12-16. Natural 4+ card suit.

1♦: 12-16, sometime by 3 cards. It can happen when the opener has only clubs or when he has not a biddable suit. “Biddable” in the opening bidding is a four card suit headed at least by Q9 or J10, or any five card suit.

1NT: 13-16, balanced or semi-balanced one suited in clubs.

2♣: 5+ clubs, 12-16. One or two suited.

2♦, 2♥, 2♠: Weak one suited.

Responses

On 1♣: controls by steps up to 2♦ (six or more). Weak jump from 2♥ to level three.

On 1♦, 1♥, 1♠: natural responses. Strong jump. 2NT and 3NT responses are very strong balanced (respectively: 17-18 or 16), without support in opening suit.

On 1NT (remember: it’s always one suited in clubs), all the responses are natural: 2♣ and 3♣ are support. Just 2♦, is a relais; the opener will bid 2♥ and the responder will explain his hand.

Other

Neapolitan Club does not employs 5CM nor Long Suit First systems. It follows the Principle of Preparedness, i.e. “The idea, originally called Anticipation, of looking forward to the next round of bidding when selecting a bid...” (ACBL Official Encyclopedia , VI ed. Page 362). Because of this Principle, the length of the suits is undefined. The only exception is when the opener has a reverse two suited hand with less than 17 points (with 17+ the opening is 1♣). In this case the reverse will be made bidding the short suit first (Albarran’s Canapé ).

FIRST DOUBLE!

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WALSH SYSTEM

2/1 gf

Notes by Rhoda Walsh on the 1 NT gf response in the "2 over 1 game forcing system" (Walsh System). Rhoda Walsh, attorney, is a bridge theorist and champion: she’s WBF Grand Master and an ACBL Grand Life Master. 7^th in all time masterpoint list for women; With Paul Soloway, John Swanson, and her ex-husband Richard Walsh, Rhoda is one of the co-developers of the 2 over 1 Game Forcing System, formerly known as theWalsh System. Table of Contents>>

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A SHORT HISTORY OF INTERCITY LEAGUE

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The idea was born in 2003 when I suggested to few of my friends from all over ex-Yugoslavia that we should start some kind of competition on BBO, primarily to allow teams from small towns to be able to play serious bridge without travelling. We started in spring 2004 with only 4 teams, playing on Tuesdays nights. By 3rd edition the League was already international and we moved to Wednesdays nights. Number of teams participating was gradually growing and now is from 24 to 30 each edition. It runs twice a year (spring and autumn) and every edition we have some new teams. read more >>

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NORBERTO BOCCHI released to Neapolitan Club a long interview a little before to leave Veldhoven. The Italian Champion reports with great sincerity on the atmosphere in Veldhoven, and explains the reasons for the Italian defeat against the Dutch in the semifinals. A quite “hot” interview. (read more >>)

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VALERIO GIUBILO. Nowadays the Franco-Polish financier Zaleski is the third major sponsor of Italian bridge. He is the only one that seems able to compete with the two historic giants: Angelini and Lavazza. Zaleski recently hired three top Italian players, who had previously played for the Angelini team: Lauria, Versace and Giubilo. Valerio Giubilo is seen as a major force in the composition of the new team. Giubilo, Lauria and Versace are completely interchangeable as teammates, as they have been playing the same system for a number of years. All together this was a good reason for Neapolitan Club to have an interview with the third man, Valerio Giublio. (read more)

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FEDERICO PRIMAVERA. The former member of Italian Junior team nowadays partner of Francesco Angelini and Benito Garozzo granted us a long interview. Federico Primavera tells us his experience with the mithic Garozzo and speaks about the most burning questions of Italian Bridge: The exclusion of Fantunes from the National team, The Angelini's disqualification and other. (reed more)

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ANTONIO SEMENTA. During the past months Neapolitan Club had interviews with all the players of the national selection of Italy. All but one, Antonio Sementa who is playing nowadays with Giorgio Duboin for Team Lavazza. Here is Sementa’s story. (read more)

We give a follow up to previous interview with LORENZO LAURIA, September 15th 2010. Again Lauria is quite outspoken on different issues: the Reisinger Cup, the new Zaleski team, the Italian Cup, the break between Angelini and Fantunes and the related decision of Fantunes to play for Monaco. (read more)

FULVIO FANTONI, the Number One of world ranking, has kindly granted us a very long and structured interview in which he accepts to discuss all the arguments proposted. There are references, direct and indirect, to the thorniest issues and to the latest Lauria's interview. (read >>) ___________________________________________________________

If you want to understand the sarcastic joke cracked by GIORGIO DUBOIN, you have to remember this famous Esopo's tale. A hungry fox saw some fine bunches of grapes hanging from a vine along a high trellis. He tried his best to reach the grapes by jumping as high as he could. All in vain, for they were just out of reach. So the fox gave up trying, and walked away with an air of dignity and unconcern, remarking: "I thought those grapes were ripe, but I see now they are quite sour.” (read more >>)