6th Becherovka Thematic Tourney
Judge: Michal Dragoun (Czech Republic)

Theme
Reflex- or semi-reflexmates with at least two model mates. No other fairy elements are allowed.

Zdenĕk Libiš
Šachová skladba 2004
  
1.Th5! zugzwang
1...Sxb7 2.Ke4 Sd6#
1...Sxb3 2.Ke6 Sxd4#
1...Sxc6 2.Kg6 Sxe7#
1...Sc4 2.Kg4 Se3#
 
R#2
(15+5)
    
 

I received 8 problems. Their level was good and, in my opinion, this indicates possibility of further development and research in the field of Bohemian reflexmates.

Ofer Comay & Gady Costeff
Pr Becherovka Ty
Halkidiki 2004		 Mark Erenburg
1 HM Becherovka Ty
Halkidiki 2004
 
R#2
(6+6)
    
R#2
(9+9)
  

Prize: Ofer Comay & Gady Costeff (Israel)
1.Kd5! (2.Ke6 Tf6#) 1...Tf6+ 2.Kc5 Txc6#, 1...Tc3+ 2.Kd6 Txc6#, 1...Df6 (Dg7, Dh8) 2.Kc4 Tc3#, 1...T~3+ 2.Kc4 Dc3#
Meredith with four echo model mates. The value of this problem is a little bit diminished by the symmetry of the position completed by the key, but in spite of this I decided to place this problem at the top.

1st Honourable Mention: Mark Erenburg (Israel)
1.Ta2! (2.Kxd3 Dxe4#) 1...Lxe4 2.Td2 Lb6#, 1...Dxe4+ 2.Kf2 Dd4#, 1...Dxg5 2.Kf2 Dc5#, 1...f5 2.Kf2 Db6#, 1...Dxg7 (Df7) 2.Kf2 Da7#, 1...e1=S 2.Td2 (Tf2)
The composer indicates six model mates, but repeated mate on various squares of the same diagonal can be hardly considered as different. Yet, still one more repetition of analogous mate gives this problem advantage compared to the 2nd Hon. Mention.

Aleksandr Semenenko
Valery Semenenko
2 HM Becherovka Ty
Halkidiki 2004
Nikolay Kralin
Andrey Selivanov
 3 HM Becherovka Ty
Halkidiki 2004
Menachem Witztum
 Comm Becherovka Ty
Halkidiki 2004
R#2
(10+7)
R#3
(10+3)
R#2
(6+8)

2nd Honourable Mention: Aleksandr & Valery Semenenko (Ukraine)
1.Kb3! (2.Tc1 dxc1=S#) 1...Ke2 2.Sh4 Df7#, 1...Dg1 2.Sf1 Dg8#, 1...Dxh1 2.e5 Dd5#,
1...c4+ 2.Kb4 a5#
Similarly to the previous problem three different mates, one of them repeated three times. A good addition is the mate with knight promotion. Both two first Honourable Mentions have the small flaw that black pawns are used in some variations only.

3rd Honourable Mention: Nikolay Kralin & Andrey Selivanov (Russia)
1.d3! zz 1...a1=S 2.a5 Sb3 3.La7 Sc5#, 1...a1=L 2.Ka5 Lxb2 3.La6 Lc3#, 1...a1=D/T 2.Lb7+ Kg4 3.Sd1 D/Txa4# (1.Sc4? a1=L!, 1.d4? a1=S!)
The only longer problem of the tourney shows two analogous variations after knight and bishop promotions. Pity that the continuations after the rook and queen promotions are not differentiated.

Commendation: Menachem Witztum (Israel)
1.d8=T! (2.Td4 d1=S#) 1...d1=S+ 2.Kd4 Le3#, 1...Lh4 2.Kxd2 e1=D#, 1...d1=T/L 2.Td4 e1=D#, 1...d1=D 2.~ Da1#
Two model mates with promotions. The problem can be improved by adding a white pawn on b2, since after 1...axb2 there would be a third model mate in the threat.