[mgtusi]

Hi,

Anybody knows where can I find a description of CAPP convention ?

Thx a lot for the replys !

[pclayton]

Hi welcome to the forum:

Oh, its probably on here somewhere, but in a nutshell, this is what Cappaletti is over a 1N opening:

Double = Penalty

2♣ = Artificial, and one-suiter (usually 6 cards long). Responder usually bids 2♦, and overcaller either passes with diamonds, or bids 2♥, 2♠ or 3♣.

2♦ = Both majors. Should be at least 5-4.

2♥ or 2♠ shows that suit plus a minor. If responder is interested in the minor, he bids 2N.

If you are curious, there are a lot better conventions to play over a 1N opening, but "Capp" is very popular and you can play it with just about anyone.

[inquiry]

Of course, there is a little more to capelletti than phil explained. Obviously 2NT over 1NT shows a minor two suiter and three level overcalls are natural. But of course there are also the responses to partners "capp" bid.

For instance, if partner bids 2C, you can bid 2NT with a fair hand and balanced (ie support for all suits). The definiition of "fair" might depend on what stregnth your partner will overcall 1NT with 2C. If partner bids 2C, you don't have to bid 2D, but can bid 2H or 2S to show a suit of your own.

After a 2D overcall, you can pass (with long diamonds), signoff is 2H/2S, bid 3h/3s (invite in theory), bid 2NT (ask partner to bid his better minor, or alternatively you can modifiy this to be a general game try),

If parnter overcalls 2H or 2S, you can bid 2NT to ask him to show his minor.

Ben

[sceptic]

http://www.bridgeguy...appelletti.html

Hope this helps you, the www.bridgeguys.com/conventions is a great reference for lots of conventions

[Fluffy]

This reminds me of my first days on BBO, when everyone was knowing only capp, I had no idea of what it was, so everytime if appeared I had to search for it in google. Normally ' cappeletti + bridge ' would get me into it, I found varios pages with it (I searched loads of times, and I don't think even now I know that).

[Stephen Tu]

If you are searching for it, best to spell it properly like sceptic did, Cappelletti. Two e's, all double consonants in the middle.

It is is also in my view one of the worst defenses against notrump; learn it, but play something else!

Problems:
-2c is ambiguous and thus prone to preemption.
-2d for majors leaves you at a guess as to which one is better. 2c for majors (as in Landy, Woolsey, others) in contrast leaves room for responder to bid 2d with equal length, letting overcaller choose. This gets you to the best fit much more often.
-2M - knowing about the presence of a minor doesn't help you that often since you don't know which one it is plus it's a level higher making it quite risky to pull a 5-2 major fit hoping for something better. Thus you will sometimes play the 5-2 fit rather and miss a 9 cd (or more!) minor fit.

[spwdo]

http://blakjak.com/def_1nt01.htm


On this site you find many defences to nt, not sure if its still up but was nice site where you coud easy get printouts from

[MickyB]

The URL for David Stevenson's page on defences to 1NT is now

http://www.blakjak.d...k/def_1nt01.htm

[Double !]

Just a suggestion. If you decide to play Capp., you might want to consider reversing the meanings of 2C and 2 of a major. This is referred to in some places as "modified cappelletti" or "reverse cappelletti". 2C becomes the unspecified 2-suiter and 2 of major becomes natural. IMO, the advantage to this is that partner will at least know what your suit is if the opps bid over 2C, and partner can then be in a better position to co-operate in competitive bidding/ decision-making.

[the hog]

Stephen Tu, on Jan 4 2005, 08:02 AM, said:

If you are searching for it, best to spell it properly like sceptic did, Cappelletti. Two e's, all double consonants in the middle.

It is is also in my view one of the worst defenses against notrump; learn it, but play something else!

snipped

I totally concur. Usually played by players who know no better.

[Gerben47]

I think its popularity comes from the ACBL's regulations where reversing 2C and 2D is not allowed in GCC games.

[the hog]

Amazing how US regulations promote poor bridge.

[whereagles]

Cappelletti has only one virtue: since it has a penaly double, it can be played regardless of the range of the NT. It is playable vs 15-17, 16-18, 12-14, 9-11 or whatever 1NT opps come up with.

Other than that Cappelletti sucks, yes

[luke warm]

whereagles, on Jan 4 2005, 01:41 PM, said:

Cappelletti has only one virtue: since it has a penaly double, it can be played regardless of the range of the NT. It is playable vs 15-17, 16-18, 12-14, 9-11 or whatever 1NT opps come up with.

Other than that Cappelletti sucks, yes

it's my opinion that a penalty double of 1nt is pretty much useless anyway... i think bergen said, and my (limited) experience has proven, that the hardest contract to both defend and play is 1nt doubled

since i believe x of 1nt is wasted if for penalties, i'd look for a defense that used that bid more constructively

[joker_gib]

luke warm, on Jan 4 2005, 07:57 AM, said:

it's my opinion that a penalty double of 1nt is pretty much useless anyway... i think bergen said, and my (limited) experience has proven, that the hardest contract to both defend and play is 1nt doubled

since i believe x of 1nt is wasted if for penalties, i'd look for a defense that used that bid more constructively

Totally agree !

X for penalty is only good on weak NT !

For my part, vs strong NT, I play something like :

X : xfer to ♣ with ♣ or both majors (Then I rebid 2♦)
2♣ : xfer to ♦
2♦ : xfer to ♥ with one suiter in ♥ or ♠
2♥ : ♥ + minor
2♠ : ♠ + minor
2NT : both minors

Very simple and effective !

Alain

[mila85]

luke warm, on Jan 4 2005, 07:57 AM, said:

it's my opinion that a penalty double of 1nt is pretty much useless anyway... i think bergen said, and my (limited) experience has proven, that the hardest contract to both defend and play is 1nt doubled

since i believe x of 1nt is wasted if for penalties, i'd look for a defense that used that bid more constructively

I play weak 1nt and I must say that penalty double is not a wasted bid.
I'm always afraid of -500 or -800. (where -110 is normal score)
And if you have penalty dbl. all your other bids are limited.

[joker_gib]

mila85, on Jan 4 2005, 09:43 AM, said:

luke warm, on Jan 4 2005, 07:57 AM, said:

it's my opinion that a penalty double of 1nt is pretty much useless anyway... i think bergen said, and my (limited) experience has proven, that the hardest contract to both defend and play is 1nt doubled

since i believe x of 1nt is wasted if for penalties, i'd look for a defense that used that bid more constructively

I play weak 1nt and I must say that penalty double is not a wasted bid.
I'm always afraid of -500 or -800. (where -110 is normal score)
And if you have penalty dbl. all your other bids are limited.

Luke was saying that it's useless only on strong NT !

[keylime]

Capp is poop. Run from at when defending against strong NTs.

I use Meckwell, but DONT, Brozel, and others, work reasonably well.

Versus weak NTs though, I use Becker:

double - penalty
2C - minors
2D - majors
2H/S - natural

[Free]

If you want to find some defenses, go to http://www.blakjak.d...k/def_1nt01.htm. You'll find a lot of them, with or without penalty Dbl, natural bids,... I'm sure you'll find something you think is more usefull than capp

[luke warm]

joker_gib, on Jan 4 2005, 05:20 PM, said:

mila85, on Jan 4 2005, 09:43 AM, said:

luke warm, on Jan 4 2005, 07:57 AM, said:

it's my opinion that a penalty double of 1nt is pretty much useless anyway... i think bergen said, and my (limited) experience has proven, that the hardest contract to both defend and play is 1nt doubled

since i believe x of 1nt is wasted if for penalties, i'd look for a defense that used that bid more constructively

I play weak 1nt and I must say that penalty double is not a wasted bid.
I'm always afraid of -500 or -800. (where -110 is normal score)
And if you have penalty dbl. all your other bids are limited.

Luke was saying that it's useless only on strong NT !

no, i actually think it's wasted even over a weak nt, but i know it's a minority opinion... i won't say i've never been hurt by a double, but i rarely have... if you have a good escape sequence you should usually be ok, and more often than not the ops will save you... sometimes they even end up getting hurt

and i'm not very much afraid of -500 or -800... sure it happens, but in my experience it's happened more often on hands were a weak nt wasn't even close to being bid