Neil Robertson started his bid to develop into the primary participant to win all 4 House Nations sequence occasions when he edged out Scotland’s Graeme Dott 4-3 in a repeat of the 2010 World Championship ultimate.
Robertson gained the opening body earlier than Dott replied to safe the second with a break of 94.
The Australian answerable for the third however broke down on 58 when he missed a easy pink, permitting his Scottish opponent to grab the body with a 52 clearance.
Robertson solely had a 16-point lead in body 4 when he let Dott in, however the 2006 world champion was unable to take benefit and the Australian’s run of 54 levelled the match.
The gamers had been tied at 40 factors every within the fifth, during which Robertson in the end prevailed, with Dott taking the subsequent with a 76 break, earlier than the English Open champion bought over the road.
In the meantime Anthony McGill beat Stephen Maguire 4-1 in an all-Scottish battle, with Barry Hawkins getting the higher of fellow former world finalist Matthew Stevens 4-2.
In different first-round matches on Monday, Elliot Slessor beat Joe O’Connor 4-2, whereas Tom Ford defeated Rory Thor, Tian Pengfei noticed off Si Jiahui and Jimmy Robertson beat Xiao Guodong by the identical scoreline.
Martin O’Donnell was a 4-3 victor over Zhang Anda whereas 62-year-old Jimmy White rolled again the years, beating Iran’s Hossein Vafaei 4-2.