Hearts should be declared with five hearts, including two honours and at least one outside trick. Without this extra trick a five-heart declaration with two honours--unless they are ace and king--is unsafe.
Hearts should be declared with six trumps, including one honour; but, with fewer than six trumps, a one honour make is doubtful. Occasionally it may not be advisable to pass five hearts with one honour--holding, say, five hearts and four diamonds; your partner’s make would probably be black.
In considering such a declaration, the value of a long side suit that either is, or can be easily established, must not be overlooked. The strength of a five-card trump hand with a long suit and a re-entry card, is apparent to those who have had Whist experience. It requires but one trump honour from your partner to make this a winning hand, and unless the remaining cards are very unfortunately placed, it is difficult to defeat the make.
With a good side suit, do not hesitate to declare hearts with five, including an honour. Even a four-card side suit is usually a help. It is when the hand is divided 5, 3, 3, 2, that you are apt to lose by being forced to follow suit. Therefore a short suit is a help to a five-trump hand; to be sure, it may at times enable the adversaries to force you, but as you can always prevent the adversaries’ high cards in that suit from making, a short suit is a greater benefit than detriment.
Generally declare a red make holding six cards with one honour, five cards with two honours, or four with three honours. Some makes may be attempted with or without outside strength, while others require a certain amount of strength in side suits. The value of a long suit and the importance of inferring the probable passed make, has been mentioned.
Below are given various combinations of honours showing the strength required for a red make. Only general rules are cited and the particular value of the hand must be left to the individual judgment. In these examples, the score has not been considered.
A K Q } A K J } A K 10 } A Q J } With or without other tricks. K Q J } A J 10 } K Q 10 }
K J 10 } With one outside trick. Q J 10 }
A Q } K Q } A J } With one outside trick. K J } A 10 }