By Andrew Robson 
Courtesy of AndrewBobson.co.uk
Repeating a suit strongly suggests six cards. Indeed if you (i) do not play reverses as showing extra values and (ii) always open or rebid notrumps with a 5332 shape (yes – even with a five-card major – the modern style and much recommended by your columnist), then repeating a suit GUARANTEES six cards.
When you are repeating your suit (with six+ cards), you should follow the…
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Opener’s Six Card Repeat Line
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*Or slightly less if passes the rule-of-twenty
In the Top Ten most Common Mistakes of all, I would put failing to jump a level with a six-card suit and 16+ points.
Exercise: You open 1♥ and partner responds 1♠ . What now with?
| Hand a) | Hand b) | Hand c) |
| ♠ 3 ♥ A J 8 6 4 3 ♦ K Q 3 ♣ J 4 2 |
♠ K 2 ♥ A Q J 8 6 2 ♦ J 2 ♣ A 8 3 |
♠ 6 ♥ A Q J 10 6 2 ♦ A 10 2 ♣ K Q 4 |
(a) 2♥. You only just opened – using the Rule of 20.
(b) 2♥. Chunkier, but just a minimum level rebid (up to 15 points).
(c) 3♥. 16+ points and six (+) Hearts.
What happened
Defending 2 ♥, West led ♠ K. East overtook with ♠ A (good) and returned ♠ J. Overtaking with ♠ Q, West continued with a low spade and East trumped with ♥ 9. Overruffing with ♥ J, declarer now had to loseand also lost a club (students of the end game will note that East can be squeezed in the minors). Nine tricks made.
“Lucky we didn’t bid game, partner”, said South.
North, a good player, said nothing.
What should have happened
In 4♥, declarer had ten winners, six trumps and two ace-kings. He must not endanger those winners. The key-play is to discard a club at Trick Three, rather than overruffing. He can now win any return and score his ten tricks. Game made a pretty Loser-on-Loser play.
If you remember just one thing…
Opener’s Six-Card-Repeat-Line.
This article is deal number 52 from my book What Should Have Happened.