In the game of bridge a balanced hand (or balanced distribution) denotes a hand containing no singleton or void and at most one doubleton. As a bridgehand contains thirteen cards, only three hand patterns can be classified as balanced: 4-3-3-3, 4-4-3-2 and 5-3-3-2. The hand patterns 5-4-2-2 and 6-3-2-2 that are generally classified as a two suiter and a single suiter respectively, are often also referred to as semi-balanced.
In natural bidding systems, balanced hands are either opened with a notrump bid, or rebid in notrump.
In the Netherlands a bidding system called Saaie klaver ("Boring club") that reserves the 1♣ opening for all balanced hands (boring hands), has gained some popularity.
Famous quotes containing the words balanced and/or hand:
“I balanced all, brought all to mind,
The years to come seemed waste of breath,
A waste of breath the years behind
In balance with this life, this death.”
—William Butler Yeats (1865–1939)
“Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings ...
And while with silent lifting mind I’ve trod
The high, untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.”
—John Gillespie Magee (c. 1922–1941)