Eight players took taking part in the year's perliminaries.
The players are: Mark Borg Busuttil (1705), Albert Zammit (1435), Andre Lupi (1050), Ivan Attard, Joseph Attard, Mark Cuschieri, Jesmond Fenech and Charles Sinn.
Top seed Mark Borg Busuttil wins with 5/7 followed by Albert Zammit and Ivan Attard on 4/7. Andre Lupi, Chares Sinn and Mark Cuschieri qualify for the candidates while Joseph Attard just misses the boat due to an inferior Sonnenberg score.
| No. | Name | Rating | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Total | Sonen. |
| 1 | Mark Borg Busuttil | 1705 | # | 1 | 1 | 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 5 | |
| 2 | Albert Zammit | 1435 | 0 | # | 1 | 1 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | 4 | 13 |
| 3 | Ivan Zammit | 0 | 0 | # | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 12½ | |
| 4 | Andre Lupi | 1050 | 1 | 0 | 0 | # | 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 3½ | |
| 5 | Charles Sinn | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | # | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 10½ | |
| 6 | Mark Cuschieri | 0 | 1 | 0 | ½ | 1 | # | ½ | 0 | 3 | 10¼ | |
| 7 | Joseph Attard | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | 1 | ½ | # | 1 | 3 | 9 | |
| 8 | Jesmond Fenech | ½ | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | # | 2½ |