When the luck of the draw brought together Brazil and China, the two countries that had contested an outstanding final in last year's IOC Grand Prix, there was no problem deciding who should appear on VuGraph. A capacity audience witnessed a dramatic series of boards. Both sides missed the boat on the very first deal:

Board 1. Dealer North. Love All ª K Q 7 6 3 © Q J 8 3 ¨ A K Q § 5 ª J 4 ª 10 © 9 5 4 © A K 10 7 6 2 ¨ 8 6 3 2 ¨ 10 7 § 10 8 6 2 § A Q J 3 ª A 9 8 5 2 © — ¨ J 9 5 4 § K 9 7 4

North started with a Precision Club and then splintered to show his support for spades. When his partner made a cuebid in hearts he must have been tempted to make another move, but when he decided against it, South saw no reeason to go on. The defenders took their club trick, +480 for China.

The Brazilians natural auction fared no better, but on a heart lead Chagas made all the tricks to pick up an IMP.

Predicting a flat board is a very dangerous game, even when the appropriate line of play looks obvious.

Board 3. Dealer South. EW Game ª 10 8 © 10 8 3 2 ¨ J § A K Q 6 5 4 ª 6 5 2 ª A K J 9 7 4 © 6 5 4 © K Q 7 ¨ 10 8 3 ¨ A K 6 2 § J 9 8 7 § — ª Q 3 © A J 9 ¨ Q 9 7 5 4 § 10 3 2

Two identical auctions, bu the results were very different. On a club lead declarer ruffs and lays down a top trump followed by a top diamond. When North produces the jack declarer plays a second trump followed by a low diamond. Campos duly recorded +650.

Shi deviated from this line at trick three by playing a low diamond from his hand. Chagas won with the jack and returned the eight of hearts. Many defenders have the agreement that when a player switches to a suit in which dummy has a worthless holding a low card promises the ace or king, so when Shi put up the king, Branco was able to duck. He had also worked out that winning and giving his partner a ruff would only lead to three defensive tricks as declarer's losing heart would go on a diamond and a heart could be ruffed in dummy.

Declarer is safe as long as he plays a second round of trumps, but when Shi inexplicably laid down the ace of diamonds Chagas was able to ruff and play a heart. Declarer still had to lose a diamond and was one down. 13 IMPs to Brazil.

The very next board saw a fascinating duel between Chagas and Shi.

Board 4. Dealer West. Game All ª A 10 7 5 2 © K Q 5 4 ¨ Q J 2 § 7 ª 3 ª K Q 8 © A 9 8 6 © J 10 7 ¨ A 10 6 ¨ 8 5 § 10 9 6 5 2 § A K Q 8 3 ª J 9 6 4 © 3 2 ¨ K 9 7 4 3 § J 4

In the Open Room Campos made 3NT easily enough when North put up his ace of spades at trick one. +600 for Brazil.

Branco led the four of spades and Chagas put in the ten! He rightly calculated that declarer was likely to have a certain double stop, rather than ªKJx. Shi won with the king and cashed the ace of clubs before running the jack of hearts. Chagas won that with the king and played the jack of diamonds. Declarer ducked that and the next diamond, but won the third round with the ace, discarding the eight of spades from his hand. He now cashed his clubs and on the last one Branco discarded the three of hearts, having played the two on the first round of the suit. That meant that Chagas could not afford to blank the queen of hearts, which may well have been his intention. He was forced to come down to ªA and ©Q5. Time stood still as Shi considered his play. When he put the seven of hearts on the table Chagas claimed one down.

Brazil led 28-0 and went on to win 105-31 in IMPs or 25-2 in VPs.

Talking before the match the mercurial Gabriel Chagas said that he had had no time to practice and expected the final to be between USA and Italy!