______ The Rainbow series will focus on three aspects of bridge learning:

1. Systemic Study - of the SAYC-OK method (e.g. meanings of opening bids, responses, etc.)



2. Orthodox Study - of common/integral practices not explicitly or fully covered in the SAYC-OK notes (e.g. "Is 1:2:2:3 game forcing?", "How do we force in a minor?", etc.)



3. Stylistic Study - of recommended approaches without regard to orthodoxy (e.g. LOTUS, Maxi-Flex, etc.)

Opening Bids
______ Hands are categorized as either balanced or unbalanced. Balanced or "flat" hands come in one of three distribution types:

1. 5-3-3-2 (with a 5-card minor?)



2. 4-4-3-2



3. 4-3-3-3

______ Balanced hands, then, cannot have a void, a singleton, or a second doubleton. In other words, balanced hands cannot have 2 or more "short suit points" (void = 3, singleton = 2, doubleton = 1 "Short Suit Point").

Opening Balanced Hands
______ When evaluating a flat hand, we count Long Suit Points: 1 extra point for every card longer than four. Hence, a truly flat hand can have, at most, 1 Long Suit Point (in the case of the 5-3-3-2 type). Remember: voids, singletons and doubletons will not help you take tricks in No Trump! Remember, also, that we do not generally open 1H or 1S without 5 cards in the bid major.

______ Flat hands define themselves in terms of points with either their first or their second bid. These point ranges involve one of these approaches:

Action	Range
3NT	25-27 points
2 followed by 2NT	22-24 points
2NT	20-21 points
1-of-a-suit, jump rebid 2NT	18-19 points
1NT	15-17 points
1-of-a-minor-suit, then 1NT	13-14 points
Pass	All hands weaker than 13 points

Opening Balanced Hands with 1-of-a-Suit
______ Having decided to start with 1-of-a-suit, in which suit do we open? With...

• 5-3-3-2 type open the 5-card suit.



• 4=3=3=3 or 3=4=3=3 open 1 (even with stronger Diamonds).



• 3=2=4=4 or 2=3=4=4 open 1 (even with stronger Clubs).



• 4=4=3=2 open 1 (the only time you open 1 with 3).



• 4=4=2=3 open 1.

______ Thus, 1 shows 4+Clubs or 3 Clubs with 4-4, 3-4 or 4-3 in the majors.

Opening 5-3-3-2 Hands with a 5-card Major
______ 5-3-3-2 hands with a 5-card major are, technically, balanced, but many pairs will agree to never open such a hand in No Trump. Others will open the major if it is strong, 1NT if weakish. Still others will do the opposite: open the major if it is weakish, 1NT if strong. Some will open the major if the other major is their doubleton but will open 1NT if they have 3 cards in the other major. This is merely a matter of personal and partnership style.

______ Unless you have agreed to always open 1NT when holding 5 Hearts the sequence 1H:1S:2NT will expand to 17-19 points while 1H:1S:1NT will show 13-16--the only sequence where this full 13-16 point range applies.

______ Others form partnership-specific agreements about flat hands with a 5-card major. Kaltica prefers the following style:

Range	Action
25-27 points	Open 2, rebid the major, then 3NT
22-24 points	Open 2, rebid the major, then pass 2NT
20-21 points	Open the major, then jump to 3NT
18-19 points	Open the major, then rebid 2NT
17 points	Open 1NT
16 points	Open 1NT if the doubleton is Kx or AQ; else, open the major
13-15 points	Open the major

Questions
Question #1: If 1-of-a-minor-suit followed by a 1NT rebid shows 13-14 and one of the three flat types, can a 1NT rebid also show:

A void?

A singleton?

Two doubletons?

None of the above?

Question #2: I have occasionally seen experts open in NT with 6-3-2-2 and 5-4-2-2 type hands. Isn't that wrong?

Yes, it is wrong.

No, not wrong, just asystemic.

Question #3a: What if I hold a 4-3-3-3 type, open 1C, and hear Partner respond in my 4-card major? Should I rebid 1NT or raise?

Raise the major with 4-card support.

Rebid 1NT to show your pattern and strength.

Question #3b: What if I hold a 4-4-3-2 type, open in a minor and hear my partner respond in my 4-card major? Should I rebid 1NT or raise?

Raise the major with 4-card support.

Rebid 1NT to show your pattern and strength.

Question #3c: Question #3c: What if I hold a 4-4-3-2 or 5-3-3-2 type hand and hear my partner respond in my 3-card suit? Should I rebid 1NT or raise?

Raise the major with 3-card support.

Rebid 1NT to show your pattern and strength.

Raise the major unless your doubleton is AQ or Kx.

Question #4: How many Clubs does 1C:1D:1NT show?

3, 4 or 5 Clubs.

4 or 5 Clubs.

Question #5: How many Diamonds does 1D:1H:1NT show?

3, 4 or 5 Diamonds.

4 or 5 Diamonds.

Question #6: 4=3=3=3 is the worst distribution for suit play, since it allows no ruffing. What is the worst distribution for No Trump play that does not involve a 6+card suit?

4-4-4-1 type distributions.

4-4-3-2 type distributions.

5-5-3-0 type distributions.

Some other distribution type.