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Comm., British Chess Magazine, 1977

#2
U-Chess

1.NxP  (2.N-B3)

1...P=Q 2.Q-K4
1...P=R 2.Q-Q1
1...P=B 2.Q-Q3
1...P=S 2.Q-Q2

The threat can be defeated only by the various promotions of the bPb2. Each one puts a second guard on a mating square, so making the capture of the mating piece ambiguous.

Although the judge gave this a commend, the solvers were not keen on U-Chess. Expert solver Ron Brain called it 'intrinsically artificial'. I composed no more examples. It was my first, and so far last, Allumwandlung, a theme that has always been popular with composers. I got it out of my system early and have not had an interest in it since.