Hand shape is an important concept. We can break up the various shapes into balanced, semi-balanced, three-suited, two-suited, and one-suited. We denote hand shape either by listing the number of cards in each suit (i.e. 4333 - these must clearly sum to 13) or else by picking out one or two suits (i.e. 5-5).
In most cases, notations such as 5431 or 5-4-3-1 do not specify the order of the suits, but 5=4=3=1 specifies that there are 5 ♠s, 4 ♥s, 3 ♦s and 1 ♣.
Almanac of Hand Shapes[]
Balanced[]
To be considered balanced, a hand must have no voids, no singletons and no more than one doubleton. Thus, the only three possible shapes are
- 4333 (also called flat or shapeless)
- 4432
- 5332 (mildly one-suited)
Natural notrump openings are restricted to hands of this shape.
Semi-balanced[]
These hands are slightly less balanced, but do not contain any particularly long suits. These hands includes no voids, no singletons and exactly two doubletons:
- 5422 (mildly two-suited)
- 6322 (mildly one-suited)
Semi-balanced hands are good for raising partner's notrump bids, but are often equally happy to play in a suit if a fit is found, since the doubletons often provide good ruffing value.
Three-suited[]
Three-suited hands are balanced in three suits and short in the fourth. The following are three-suited
- 4441
- 5440
These hands are good for minimal-strength takeout doubles when the opponents open the short suit. Additionally, this shape is required for the weakest application of nonforcing Stayman, when the short suit is clubs.
Two-suited[]
Two-suited hands include two long suits with small difference in length. Thus, two suited distribution includes
- 5422 (mildly balanced)
- 5431
- 5521
- 5530
- 6430
- 6421
- 6511
- 6520
- 6610
- 7510
- 7600
One-suited[]
One-suited hands include one long suit:
- 5332 (usually considered as balanced instead)
- 6322 (mildly)
- 6331
- 7222
- 7321
- 7330
- 7411 (mildly two-suited)
- 7420 (mildly two-suited)
or anything that contains an 8 card suit or longer.