Thorburn had a single frame lead against Campbell after their first session and won 10–5 despite suffering from flu symptoms. The 1979 champion Griffiths trailed Wildman 7–8 but won the final three frames to secure a 10–8 victory. In an attacking match, Meo defeated his childhood friend Jimmy White 10–8 having led 6–3 after the first session. White was the only one of the top 16 seeds to lose in the first round. Doug Mountjoy won 10–2 against Wilson, and Kirk Stevens defeated Fisher by the same margin. Ray Reardon, having been 5–4 in front overnight, prevailed 10–7 against Hughes in a match that was tactical and featured few breaks higher than 30. Perrie Mans and Tony Knowles both progressed with 10–3 wins, over Black and Miles respectively.