A total prize fund of £100,000 was awarded for the event, with the winning team receiving a share of £32,000.

The defending champions, the Ireland "A" side of Dennis Taylor, Alex Higgins and Eugene Hughes met the Canadian team of Cliff Thorburn, Kirk Stevens and Bill Werbeniuk in the final for the second year in a row.

This idea was put aside after top-ranked player Steve Davis said he would not participate in tournament if it was run under the proposed new format.

In the first match, Australia against Wales, Eddie Charlton won the first frame against Ray Reardon, but Reardon won the second, and then Doug Mountjoy beat Warren King 2–0, and Terry Griffiths beat John Campbell 2–0 to give Wales a 5–1 win.

[5] In Canada's match against the "Rest of World Team", Kirk Stevens beat Silvino Francisco 2–0, Cliff Thorburn drew 1–1 with Tony Drago, and then Bill Werbeniuk lost 0–2 to Dene O'Kane to tie the scores at 3–3.

Stevens then drew 1–1 with Drago to make it 4–4, and Thorburn beat Francisco in the tie-break frame so that Canada won 5–4.

[6] Steve Davis and Tony Meo arrived at the venue only about 15 minutes before the start of England's match against Scotland, having travelled from Cheltenham Racecourse that day, with part of the journey by helicopter.

[6] Joe Johnson and Stephen Hendry shared the first two frames 1–1, then Davis and Meo recorded 2–0 victories over Matt Gibson and Murdo MacLeod respectively to finish the match at 5–1 to England.

Griffiths scored breaks of 113 and 92 in beating Taylor and giving Wales a 2–0 lead over Ireland A. Hughes defeated Reardon 2–0 to level the match at 2–2.

[1][8] The Irish team's victory was their third consecutive triumph in the tournament, having won it in each of the previous two years.