Your partner opens 1♣. What do you bid with:

                                                                  ♠  A Q 9 3

                                                                  ♥  J 6 3 2

                                                                  ♦  9 7 4

                                                                  ♣  8 2

Remember we’re trying to find an 8-card fit without the bidding getting too high. So, it’s probably better to bid 1♥ rather than 1♠ despite the spades being much better quality. The problem with 1♠ is that opener may well not be able to show four hearts and the fit will be lost. Either bid is better than 1NT which can still end up as the contract if no fit is found.

Tip: Bid four card suits upwards to maximize the chance of finding a fit.