best-of-15 frames on 16 April across two sessions - seven frames in the afternoon session and eight frames in the evening. Simpson discharged himself from hospital, where he had spent several days due to influenza, one hour before his match against Bernard Bennett, and lost 2–8. Cliff Thorburn led 3–1 against Paddy Morgan, but lost 4–8. Tournament debutant Bill Werbeniuk took five successive frames from 2–2 against Geoff Thompson, and won 8–3. Pulman followed his whitewash of Karnehm in qualifying with another win without losing a frame, against Sidney Lee.In the round's other matches, Marcus Owen eliminated Maurice Parkin 8–5; Ian Anderson won only the second frame against Perrie Mans; Kingsley Kennerley lost 5–8 to Jim Meadowcroft; and John Dunning defeated David Taylor 8–6. Second round On 17 and 18 April the best-of-29 frames second round matches were held. The matches were scheduled across three seven-frame sessions and a concluding eight-frame session. Reardon constructed a 6–1 lead against Meadowcroft, and took six of the following seven frames too. After completing a 15–3 victory, Reardon questioned – in a tone that the ‘’Daily Telegraph’’ reported as "asking blandly" – "Who can beat me?" Marcus Owen led his older brother Gary Owen 9–5, after finishing the first session 4–3 ahead, and won 15–8. Alex Higgins made breaks of 69, 67, 64 and 63 while taking a 6–0 lead against Bennett, eventually eliminating him 15–4. Werbeniuk lost the first seven frames against Fred Davis, and was 4–10 behind after two sessions. Davis won the match 15–5. Charlton established a 5–2 lead against Dunning, but during the second session Dunning won six consecutive frames and was 8–6 up at the end of the session, despite Charlton making the tournament's first century break, 100. Dunning increased his lead to four frames at 13–9. Charlton took the next four frames to draw level, but Dunning won the next two and progressed to the quarter-finals. Spencer, affected by influenza, was two frames behind Mans, 6–8, after two sessions. The quality of Mans's potting compensated for his inaccurate positional play as he ran out a 15–13 winner. Miles defeated Morgan 15–7, and Williams defeated Pulman 15–12. Quarter-finals The quarter-finals were staged on 19 and 20 April, as the best-of-29 frames: three seven-frame sessions followed by one of eight frames. Owen made a 102 break to equalise at 3–3 with Reardon, and won the following frame when Reardon went