In "The Electric Woman," Marabel Morgan, author of self-help books for married women, wrote, "Persistence is the twin sister of excellence. One is a matter of quality; the other, a matter of time."
    If you and your partner persistently study bridge theory, the quality of your play will improve; it is only a matter of time.
    The theory in this deal, which makes a triplet with those given the last two days, is important.
    In each column, South has been in three no-trump. West has led fourth-highest from his longest suit. But has West found the killing lead from his strongest suit, or does the defense need to take tricks in a shorter side suit? After trick one, East does not know, but West does. East has to have patience to get the signal from his partner.
    How should East-West card to beat three no-trump in this deal? West leads the heart four: three, 10, king. Declarer plays the diamond 10: six, seven ... ? What should happen after that?
    North's jump to three no-trump was right. There was no need to mention the diamonds — everyone could admire them when they came down in the dummy.
    East should wait until partner has had a chance to make a discard. Here, on the third round of diamonds, West will pitch the club three, discouraging in that suit. Then East should return the heart seven, West taking four tricks in the suit to defeat the contract.
    If you think that that is too easy, look again at yesterday's deal, when a heart return would have been fatal and East had to shift to the club 10.