Giovanni, I want to involve a young champion like you on what we have christened the ‘affaire fantunes’ . Can you tell me your view about the exclusion of Fantoni and Nunes from National Team will play the next Europeans in Ostend? As many people, I’ m disappointed that Claudio and Fulvio will not play at European Championships. They have always been crucial for Italian Team and sometimes the couple in better shape. Read the rest of this entry…
Intercity League tonight enters the quarters of final; the best eight teams from the round robins will face in knock-out matches of twenty four deals (in brackets are the captains’ nicknames on BBO):
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Jagodina (Mangskoki) – Ascoli Piceno (Turbin)
Wales United (Coch Draig) – Haskovo (Jantien)
Dubrovnik (Khazaddoom) – Konavle (TMY)
Zagreb (Cehtunger) – Galway (Ciaran)
The matches will start at 20:45. For kibitzing, the suggestion is to add as friends the names of the captains: joining their tables it will be easy, then, to jump from a match to another and to have a complete picture of their proceeding.
There are four past winners: Ascoli Piceno (Italy, twice), Haskovo (Bulgaria), Galway (Ireland), Zagreb (Croatia). My forecast is:
Ascoli Piceno over Jagodina (Serbia). The Italians look stronger, however they have lost the two final matches of the round robin, slipping to the second place behind the Wales; maybe they have a bad momentum. The Serbians are a good team: their victory wouldn’t be surprising.
Wales United over Haskovo. This is the big match of the day. The Bulgarians hold the title, but in the round robin they have staggered, placing only third. The Welsh have never won Intercity League, but they are always between the strong teams. I think that this time they will win the title or they will lose only against the winners.
Dubrovnik over Konavle. These teams are both Croatian and it’s difficult to say which is the strongest one. Dubrovnik’s pace, until now, has been more regular; Konavle has suffered more for qualifying.
Galway over Zagreb. This is another match next to the tie. Galway has won his group while Zagreb came just third in his one, but needs say that Zagreb’s group was more hard, being there the Wales and Ascoli.
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Silvio let’s continue. Some readers doubt about the authority and competence of the National Team Manager Maria Teresa Lavazza. I understand what you mean. Think about the role of the Team Manager: do it rebembering Carl’Alberto Perroux. He was not the top as a champion but he knew a lot about men. He was not among the best player, he was the best of Team Managers. Read the rest of this entry…
Carlo, I just called to have a chat about so-called ‘affaire fantunes’. What’s your opinion about exclusion of Fulvio Fantoni and Claudio Nunes from the National Italian Team for the next European Championships that will be held in Ostenda? Well, I think an error has occurred in their exclusion way and expecially Fulvio overpays his popularity. Read the rest of this entry…
Norberto Bocchi, are many years since you’re on the top of international bridge: How did you feel being called for European Championship? Are you still capable of emotion? I’m proud, of course, to represent my country, and I have worked with my partner for being a competitive pair in such high level tourney. Read the rest of this entry…
Today 
Silvio Sbarigia suggests a new quiz. As usual, we’ll show the solution into few days. In the meanwhile have fun and mind the title…By the way, do you know the Toscanini’s harp story? Well, Toscanini was directing the last trial of a concerto when…. Read the rest of this entry…
BBO Intercity League 2010One could say “only familiar faces” but there are two teams from Dubrovnik that performed very well and made it to final 8. Read the rest of this entry…
noneSilvio, today I just call to talk about the exclusion of Nunes – Fantoni from the National Italian Team for the next European Bridge Championships that will be held in Ostend. The lineup is selected by the Tecnical Director, Maria Teresa Lavazza, by common consent with the Federation. Read the rest of this entry…
BBO Intercity League 2010There is only one round left and only few places that qualify for final 8. In group A Ascoli Piceno already qualified with Walles United clear favorite to qualify as second (or even 1st). Read the rest of this entry…
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Here is the Sbarigia’s quiz number 10! As usual, the solution will be published into a few days. In the meanwhile have fun and … mind the title! Read the rest of this entry…
Carte simmetriche. Con tale definizione facciamo riferimento alle nuove carte da gioco con i simboli (picche cuori e fiori) simmetrici. Carte introdotte da qualche anno, sia a livello nazionale sia internazionale. Read the rest of this entry…
Silvio ecco ci nuovo qua, siamo arrivati alla terza parte della nostra chiacchierata…. Meno male che siamo arrivati a tre… pensavo a meno… Read the rest of this entry…
BBO Intercity League 2010Fifth round had 3 matches postponed or lost without fight. Probably had to do with Easter’s holidays. Read the rest of this entry…
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Helen Smith was born in Philadelphia in 1910. She had four husbands, the second of which was Alexander Sobel, a world class bridge player; that is why we call her Helen Sobel.
Helen was a beautiful woman: she worked for a variety show and she also made an appearance in the Marx Brothers’ film ‘Animal Crackers’, in 1930. In this period, she learned bridge from another chorus girl. Helen never played with her bridgeplayer husband: she was too strong for him. Read the rest of this entry…
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BBO Intercity League 2010Half of the round robin is behind us. And looking at the tables we see that there is still much to be decided about last places that lead to the Final 8 knock out. Read the rest of this entry…
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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 ).
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. 7th 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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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)
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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)
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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 >>)
ALFREDO VERSACE. The Club Team Championships, the divorce from Angelini, the interview that Fantoni has released to Jan van Cleeff: these and many other topics have been discussed in a bright and sincere interview with Alfredo the Great. (read >>)
AGUSTIN MADALA. The pair Bocchi-Madala can easily be considered as world class. Bocchi-Madala is a relatively new partnership but has achieved already some big results: with Italian Team Madala won the latest European Championship in Ostend. We were curious about the life of young Agustin and talked with him. Italian National Team, private life and bridge technique are the topics covered in this interview. (read more >>)
NORBERTO BOCCHI has kindly granted to Neapolitan Club a long and well-articulated interview. A number of topics is referred to, each accompanied by a quote, and the Italian Ace has been invited to discuss them. The result can be considered as a little vademecum: Bridge according to Norberto. (read >>)
LORENZO LAURIA has granted a long interview to Neapolitan Club in which he approached with clarity the topical issues proposed: above all the thorny affair dealing with the former team-mates Claudio Nunes and Fulvio Fantoni. Lauria expecially responds severely to some Fantunes' statements reported in the interview by Jan van Cleeff some day earlier for BridgeTopcis.com. (read >>)
CLAUDIO NUNES and FULVIO FANTONI participated in the Onstein Patton in The Netherlands. Jan van Cleeff took this opportunity to talk with them. As both Fantoni and Nunes share the same view on the matter, they are referred to as ‘Fantunes’. (read >>)
MARIA TERESA LAVAZZA. The frank statements of coach of the Italian open team to Neapolitan Club. Mrs. Lavazza is also, together with Francesco Angelini and Romain Zaleski, one of the three major sponsors of Italian top bridge. (read>>)
FRANCESCO ANGELINI'S REPLY. Neapolitan Club reported on discussions and conflicts between players and sponsors in Italy: is Francesco Angelini's turn to express his views. Of course this important Roman sponsor and player focusses on interview with Maria Teresa Lavazza. (read>>)
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SILVIO SBARIGIA was born in Rome and lives there. He has won the European championship in 1975, runner up at 1974’s and at Olympic games of 1976. Sbarigia is member of Neapolitan Club Technical Commettee.
Some articles by Paolo Enrico Garrisi, one of the founders of Neapolitan Club.
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