AUTOMATION CHESS PLAYER

Evening Star, Issue 21716, 10 May 1934, Page 13

AUTOMATION CHESS PLAYER

A LIVELY RECEPTION A correspondent writes from Christchurch : “ 1 was much interested to see the account of the " Automaton Chess i/layer,' which appeared in your excellent clicss column a short time ago. the statements you quote from tile Newcastle ‘ Chronicle ' that ‘the secret of tho machine was never divulged,' and that • it was an unsolved proulem indeed,’ are not correct.. Some years ago 1 bought a very old chess book in a second-hand shop, entitled : Tomlinson's Amusements in Chess,’ published in 1845.- This book (from which i will quote) contains a lull description of tho automaton. By a curious coincidence, I bought another small book at the same tune, entitled ‘ Fifty Lames Played by the Automaton Ch(|ss Player.’ These are at tho odds of ' Pawn and Move,’ which odds wore given to all-comers during its second exhibition in Loudon in 1820. “Tho ‘Turk’ was seated at a cabinet which had several doors and drawers. Tin’s was really a ‘ trick cabinet.’ The exhibitor opened these doors and drawers one by one, always in the same order, and closing each one before opening the next. In this way the concealed, player was enabled to take up a fresh position inside tbe cabinet each time a door was opened. There was also a lot of dummy ibachinery inside, the object of which was to aid the concealed player, and also to rivet the attention of the spectators; to ‘ blind them with science,’ as it were. This machinery was absolutely unnecessary, as the arm of the ‘ Turk ’ was moved by means of a lever controlled by the concealed player, and tile lingers by elastic. “ The concealed confederate-player with M. Maolzel was a distinguished played named Mourct, who, upon severing his connection with the automaton revealed the secret of its operation. This was published in the first volume of ‘ Le Palamede,’ by M. de Rournay. Mouret is described in Tomlinson’s book as ‘ a tricky and ingenious, rather than a clever player.’ His description of how the machine was worked is interesting, and I cannot do better than repeat the exact words; ‘lt was formerly stated that during the exposure, of the interior mechanism, the exhibitor held a lighted candle to several parts of the machinery, and that he left this candle burning on an adjoining slab; the reason for this was to prevent any notice being taken of a wax taper in the interior of the machine should its rays plash out during the exhibition. This taper furnished the concealed player with light. Within reach of the concealed player was. firstly, a handle by whch he could guide the arm of the automaton; secondly, an alastic spring for moving its fingers; and thirdly, a cord in communication with a bellows for producing a sound to resemble ‘ cheek.’ The con-, oealed player is seated immediately under the Automaton chess board, and may lie supposed to be looking up to the roof of his narrow cell. There ho sees a representation of that chessboard, each square painted to correspond with tbe square above, the only difference being that in the Automaton’s hoard some of the squares arc occupied by chessmen and the rest are empty, while in the board beneath, every one of the squares is numbered and furnished with a small metallic knob. Every chessman on the automaton’s hoard contains a small magnet, and each move made by any one sets in motion the metallic IcnOb belonging to the squares, from and to which such piece is played.” The rest of the description is rather long and rambling, so I will merely give the substance. Upon looking up at the commencement of the game, tho concealed player sees sixty-four light mettallic balls. On thirty-two squares the balls are tight up against tbe underside of the automaton’s hoard. These .are tho squares which are occupied by chessmen, and the balls are held up against the underside of tho squares by the attraction of the magnets contained in the chessmen-on those squares. On the remaining thirty-two squares, .which of course, are unoccupied by chessmen, tho balls are hanging down suspended by a short fine thread. Upon a piece being taken up to make a move, the inetal ball on the underside of that square drops, while that of the empty square to which the piece is placed is drawn up tight against the underside of that square. The concealed player, who is furnished with a small board and men of his own, notes the numbers of the squares on the automaton board from and to .which his adversary played the piece, and makes the 'move on his own board and also bis own reply, and after taking note of the numbers involved in such reply, sets the arm of the automaton in motion. The metallic- ball drops from the square from which the piece was removed, and the ball of the empty square to which tho piece is played is drawn up. During its visit to Paris. the automaton was beaten by the professors at the Cafe de la Regence. The account you quote of Napoleon nearly wrecking the machine upon being beaten by it does not tally with the account in Tomlinson’s book. It says: “In iB6O, when Napoleon occupied Berlin, he played a game with the automaton. After a few moves ho purposely made a false move. The automaton inclined its head, replaced tli© piece, and made a sign for Napoleon to play correctly. He did so, and after a few moves again played a piece incorrectly. On this occasion the , automaton removed the piece from the board and made its own move. Napoleon was highly amused, and after a short time made a false move for the third time, upon which the automaton swept tho pieces from the board and declined to continue the game.” I think this account is more in keeping with tho character of Napoleon than the one you quote. I conclude With a rather amusing incident of the automaton’s career, again quoting from Tomlinson’s book: “ In one of the towns in Germany a conjuror had been exhibiting his various tricks to tho delight and amazement of the inhabitants, when the arrival of the automaton presented a still more powerful object of attraction, and left the poor fellow without an audience. Annoyed and jealous at tho reputation of his rival, and being convinced from his own experience in the art of deception that there must be a hidden player in the cabinet, he visited the exhibition. In the midst of the proceedings hb raised the alarm, of “ Rire,” in which he was seconded by one or two companions. 'The spectators were seizedwith the greatest alarm; in which, strange to say, the automaton participated. and in his fright upset his adversary and tottered about as if Ire were mad. Happily M. Maelzol preserved his presence of mind, and was able to push him behind a curtain, where ho soon became quiet.”