Division A
Lytham Ex 1 v Blackpool 1 ½ - 4½
Current Champions Blackpool were further strengthened by a new member from Scotland, Martin Mitchell, who has a very high rating of 178. The result looks as if Lytham took a drubbing but, in fact, four of the games went to the wire. Paul Evans, on Board 4 for Blackpool, is on top form having won the Major sections at the Blackpool Hilton Quickplay and the Chorley weekend congress. He made short work of Phil Copeland after the latter had blundered away a piece. Phil Raynor took a draw from the highly rated Michael Parker to save the whitewash.
On top board, Lytham's John Cooper gave a good account of himself against Darryl Wolstencroft: he lost a pawn in the opening but regained it in the middle game and believed he was holding his opponent to a draw. However, Darryl came up with some fine moves in the closing stages to force the win. Lytham's Doug Williams was under constant pressure from Martin Mitchell and eventually succumbed. Lytham's Leo Ainsworth, on Board 3, hung on to the end of the evening whereupon Andy Jaques produced a neat finish to force the win.
Division B
Preston 3 v Poulton 1 2½ - 1½
Preston 3 who won Div C last season scored an unexpected win over the higher graded Poulton 1 who were without top player, Oleg Cukovs. Preston's Captain, Geoff Pennington, who had a sparkling record last season defeated Poulton's ace, George Ellison who is graded 50 points higher.
Morecambe v Preston 3 2½ - 1½
Once again, Preston's Geoff Pennington took a full point, this time against John Lyth (again graded 50 points higher). What a brilliant start to the season! The game looked as if it was heading for a draw until John overpressed in a pawn endgame.
Division C
Poulton 3 v Poulton 2 1-3
Lytham Ex 3 v Lytham Ex 4 2½ - 1½
Bispham v Poulton 3 ½ -3½
Poulton's Captain, Herbert Sowerby, scored a surprise win over Blaine McGrady - Blaine is 40 grading points higher than Herbert. Last season, top board Blaine was unbeaten with 7 wins and 2 draws.
Poulton 2 v Lytham Ex 3 2-2
| Division A | |||
| Lytham Ex 1 | Blackpool 1 | ||
| J. G. Cooper | 0 | 1 | D. Wolstencroft |
| D. Williams | 0 | 1 | M. Mitchell |
| L. Ainsworth | 0 | 1 | A. Jaques |
| P. Copeland | 0 | 1 | P. Evans |
| P. Raynor | ½ | ½ | M. Parker |
| ½ | 4½ | ||
| Division B | |||
| Preston 3 | Poulton 1 | ||
| G. Pennington | 1 | 0 | D. G. Ellison |
| A. de Santos | 0 | 1 | S. Rogers |
| T. Fielding | ½ | ½ | K. Gorman |
| C. Fielding | 1 | 0 | A. Pritchard |
| 2½ | 1½ | ||
| Morecambe | Preston 3 | ||
| J. Lyth | 0 | 1 | G. Pennington |
| C. Heald | 1 | 0 | A. de Santos |
| N. T. Blade | 1 | 0 | K. Quinn |
| P. Horman | ½ | ½ | D. Skidmore |
| 2½ | 1½ | ||
| Division C | |||
| Poulton 3 | Poulton 2 | ||
| H. Sowerby | 1 | 0 | D. Hartley |
| M. Ellison | 0 | 1 | J. McConnachie |
| M. Wilkinson | 0 | 1 | C. McConnachie |
| I. Wright | 0 | 1 | L. Hughes |
| 1 | 3 | ||
| Lytham Ex 3 | Lytham Ex 4 | ||
| P. Copeland | 1 | 0 | S. Willder |
| K. Sansom | 0 | 1 | L. Gibbins |
| R. Lord | ½ | ½ | A. Burdon |
| A. Wilson | 1 | 0 | W. Weeks |
| 2½ | 1½ | ||
| Bispham | Poulton 3 | ||
| B. McGrady | 0 | 1 | H. Sowerby |
| R. Broxson | ½ | ½ | A. Pritchard |
| A. Screen | 0 | 1 | M. Wilkinson |
| N. Thompson | 0 | 1 | L. Hughes |
| ½ | 3½ | ||
| Poulton 2 | Lytham Ex 3 | ||
| M. Johnson | 0 | 1 | P. Copeland |
| D. Hartley | 1 | 0 | K. Sansom |
| J. McConnachie | 0 | 1 | P. Coleman |
| C. McConnachie | 1 | 0 | A. Wilson |
| 2 | 2 |