The Turk, Chess Automaton

by Gerald M. Levitt

With 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.

Genres: History

268 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2000

Reviews

[Jeff Raymond · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are at least two books that I'm aware of that deal directly with The Turk, and countless articles and chapters devoted to it. By far, however, this book is the most detailed and seemingly most accurate. It compiles plenty of primary information along with relying on plenty of information to help get down to the bottom of one of history's great curiousities.

Read this along with Tom Standage's more populist take for best results.