The Turk, Chess AutomatonWith all-new research and facts unknown for two centuries, this is a richly detailed and comprehensive account of “The Turk,” Baron Wolfgang von Kempelen's amazing but fraudulent Chess Automaton that held the world spellbound for 85 years beginning in 1770. In actuality, the Turk was manipulated by a man housed in a hot box, working by candlelight—but the secret was kept for decades. Besides playing a good game of chess within an hour's time, the manipulator had to keep track of the moves, work the pantograph arm apparatus, nod the head, roll the eyes, cover up sneezes and coughs, and work the sound mechanism. This work contains a detailed discussion of the literature surrounding the Turk along with an analysis of its hidden operation. The complete collection of published games played by the Turk, many, again, unknown for 200 years, is also included. |
Contents
Acknowledgments vii | 1 |
Introduction | 3 |
Part One The History | 7 |
Copyright | |
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Allen appeared Automa Automaton Chess Player Boncourt bxc3 bxc6 Bxe5 Bxf3 Bxf4 Bxf5 cabinet Café candle Chess Automaton chess board Chess Monthly Chess-Player in America chessboard chessman chest Company of Philadelphia concealed cupboard cxd4 cxd5 Decremps diagram director doors drawer Dutens endgame Ewart exd5 exhibition exhibitor explain eyes f4 exf4 figure Fraser's Magazine Game played hand head hidden player hypothesis Ibid interior invention inventor John Kearsley Mitchell Knight's Tour letter levers Library Company London Louis Dutens machinery Maelzel magnet mate mechanism ment Mitchell motion movements mystery Napoleon Nbd2 needles Nxd4 Nxd5 observed odds of pawn opened opponent Panharmonicon pantograph Paris pawn and move Philadelphia piece Pittoresque article placed play and win played at odds Racknitz Régence Remove White Schlumberger Schönbrunn Palace secret Silas Weir Mitchell spectators square tion tomaton Turk Mouret Turk played Walker wheels Willis Windisch Wolfgang von Kempelen