Peter Miitel took on feisty Michael Schreenan in a Queens Gambit Accepted. A tactically sharp opening stage left Black somewhat underdeveloped. White used this to good effect, winning a rook, then a piece, in the middle game and Black resigned before further disaster struck.

Rob Loveband faced Bill Coutts  in another Queens Gambit Accepted. White gained a piece for a pawn early on and held it into the end game. Black put up some resistance, but could never really hold the rook + bishop and pawns versus rook and pawns ending.

In the big showdown of the night, 2^nd seed Jamie Brotheridge met 3^rd seed Kevin Perrin in a Slav Defence of sorts. A complex positional battle ensued, but neither player could find a decisive edge in the murky position and a draw was agreed in the middle game.

Boris Skontra versus Patrick Cook was an unorthodox French Defence; White seemed to want a Ruy Lopez. Some deft tactics in the opening gave Black a 2 pawn advantage and he held on to them into the middle game. A nasty pin late in the game gained Black a rook as well and White was forced to concede defeat.

John Abson took on Joel Beggs in a complicated Ruy Lopez. All material remained on the board into the middle game, but Black gradually built up a commanding position and finally broke through to clean up several pawns and gain a winning position. A catastrophic blunder by Black lost him a rook at the end, prompting White to offer a draw which Black accepted in his panic. Black was probably still winning at that point!