The Turk, Chess Automaton
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About the Book
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.
About the Author(s)
Bibliographic Details
Gerald M. Levitt
Format: softcover (7 x 9)
Pages: 268
Bibliographic Info: 101 photos & facsimiles, diagrams, appendices, bibliography, indexes
Copyright Date: 2006 [2000]
pISBN: 978-0-7864-2903-5
Imprint: McFarland
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments vii
Preface 1
Introduction 3
Part One: The History
1. Schonbrunn Place, Vienna 9
2. Excitement at the Exhibition 14
3. Requiescat 18
4. The Resurrection 23
5. Many Moons and Many Wives 30
6. The Musical Showman and the Emperor’s Attack 38
7. The Men in Hiding 44
8. Mouret’s Fifty Games in London as the Turk 49
9. Troubles in the New World 64
10. Mulhouse 70
11. Philadelphia, Baltimore, and an Attack of Spies 74
12. Fakes, Travels, and Exposes 81
13. Disaster Stirkes 87
14. The Phoenix 92
Part Two: The Mystery
15. Windisch, Dutens, Decremps—The Mystery Ferments 101
16. Thicknesse and Racknitz—Enemy and Admirer 107
17. Hunneman, Willis, and Bradford—Cracking the Darkness 119
18. Brewster and Edgar Allan Poe—The Attacks Strengthen 130
19. Mouret—The Key Unlocks the Door 138
20. Mitchell—The Hero is Saved and Secrets Revealed 144
21. Kummer and Others—Voices, Views, and Visions 150
Part Three: Games, Documents, and Sources
Appendix A : Eighty-Three Non-Turk Games Played by its Directors 159
Appendix B : The Book of Endgames (CA. 1818) 182
Appendix C : Dutens’ Letter to Gentleman’s Magazine (1771) 191
Appendix D : Windisch’s “Inanimate Reason…” (1784) 193
Appendix E : From Decremps’ “La Magie Blanche Devoillee” (1784/1785) 200
Appendix F : Thicknesse’s “The Speaking Figure…” (1784) 202
Appendix G : Racknitz’s “Ueber Den Schachspieler…”(1789) 206
Appendix H : Willis’ “an Attempt to Analse…” (1821) 216
Appendix I : The Pittoresque Article (1834) 221
Appendix J : De Tournay’s “La Vie Et Les Aventures…” (1836) 223
Appendix K : Poe’s “Maelzel’s Chess-Player” (1836) 226
Appendix L : Mitchell’s “The Last of a Veteran Chess Player 236
Appendix M : The Walker Automaton of 1845 241
Appendix N : The Reconstructed Turk 243
Chapter Notes 245
Bibliography 251
Index of Games and Players 253
Index 255
Book Reviews & Awards
“fascinating”—The Washington Post; “detailed and thoroughly documented history”—C&RL News; “deeply researched…highly recommended”—Blitz Chess; “exhaustive details”—Chess Horizons; “Dr. Levitt’s new book is indispensable to everyone with the slightest interest in the subject…this book is essential to anyone studying the Turk…handsome…tells a gripping tale, it is well worth its price”—Quarterly for Chess History; “the definitive work on this subject. Absolutely fascinating”—IM John Donaldson (JeremySilman.com); “deeply researched…brilliantly put together…will fascinate chessplayers and nonchessplayers alike”—Inside Chess Online; “the most complete compilation of information about the Turk ever in one volume…a fine piece of work…recommended”—ChessCafe.com; “a really special book…a fascinating book that has been written in a very readable way…fascinating stories…highly recommended”—Magic Week; “a delightful book”—British Chess Magazine; “outstanding…extensive research…most interesting”—Musical Box Society International; “very eye-appealing…generously illustrated”—Infinityplus; “interesting”—The Intelligencer Record; “lavishly illustrated…a delightful book to read”—Book Lover’s Review; “beautifully researched”—Global Stamp News; “lavishly illustrated. It is mouth-watering to leaf through the handsomely laid out pages”—E-G.
