Automaton Chess Player

Simon Rogers · Post by **Simon Rogers** » Sat Jun 06, 2020 12:35 am

Hi all.
I've just started reading a book called:
The Turk by Tom Standage
However I noticed it doesn't feature any of the games by TheTurk(Mechanical Turk).
Does anyone know if there is any books featuring the games of The Turk?
Also, I know there was two famous games of The Turk, one against Napoleon Bonaparte and the other against Benjamin Franklin.
Does anyone know where I can find these games?
The game against Napoleon (I think he was white), I would like to show the new juniors and beginner adults and teach them not to fear anyone.
Many thanks.

Geoff Chandler · Post by **Geoff Chandler** » Sat Jun 06, 2020 9:23 am

You will get games and more history about the Turk here.

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessplayer?pid=77026

Tim Harding · Post by **Tim Harding** » Sat Jun 06, 2020 2:23 pm

I don't know the Standage book but you should look at the earlier history, published by McFarland in 2000: "The Turk, Chess Automaton" by Gerald M. Levitt.
It includes all the 50 known games played in London in 1820 when Mouret operated it. They were published in a book at the time which used to be free on Google Books but it's no longer available as a PDF download.
The game with Napoleon is on page 41 of Levitt's book. Napoleon was White and opened 1 e4 e5 2 Qf3. He was mated on move 24.
Levitt also mentions the Franklin game but the moves were apparently not preserved.

Gerard Killoran · Post by **Gerard Killoran** » Sun Jun 07, 2020 1:57 am

Tim Harding wrote: ↑
Sat Jun 06, 2020 2:23 pm
I don't know the Standage book but you should look at the earlier history, published by McFarland in 2000: "The Turk, Chess Automaton" by Gerald M. Levitt.
It includes all the 50 known games played in London in 1820 when Mouret operated it. They were published in a book at the time which used to be free on Google Books but it's no longer available as a PDF download.
The game with Napoleon is on page 41 of Levitt's book. Napoleon was White and opened 1 e4 e5 2 Qf3. He was mated on move 24.
Levitt also mentions the Franklin game but the moves were apparently not preserved.

The book is available here

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=iP5 ... q&f=false

Hover (do not click) your mouse pointer over the red rectangle EBOOK-FREE and then click on Download PDF

Neil Blackburn · Post by **Neil Blackburn** » Sun Jun 07, 2020 5:26 pm

Some more here. https://www.chess.com/article/view/mouret
the book of 50 games is indeed online. Used it in one of my articles. Happy hunting!

John McKenna · Post by **John McKenna** » Mon Jun 08, 2020 1:23 am

The diagram is given on p. 165 with a caption that goes -

THE STARTING POSITION FOR THE ENDGAME...
BLACK CAN WIN IN SEVEN MOVES.

Can't see it myself.

Simon Rogers · Post by **Simon Rogers** » Tue Jun 09, 2020 4:37 pm

Rcd8 seems to be the best move for black with threats on white back rank.

John McKenna · Post by **John McKenna** » Tue Jun 09, 2020 5:13 pm

Yes, Simon, but if 1... Rcd8 then 2.Qe6 (any other move by White seems not winning) and I cannot see how Black will win after that since the black squares around Black's king are weaker than White's back rank, or so it would appear.

Simon Rogers · Post by **Simon Rogers** » Tue Jun 09, 2020 5:43 pm

How about
1. Qe6. Rd1
2. Ng1 Rxg1
3. Kxg1 e2+
If then Rf2 black plays e1Q+
If Qxb6 black plays e1Q+
not sure??

Ian Thompson · Post by **Ian Thompson** » Tue Jun 09, 2020 5:57 pm

Simon Rogers wrote: ↑
Tue Jun 09, 2020 5:43 pm
How about
1. Qe6. Rd1
2. Ng1 Rxg1
3. Kxg1 e2+
If then Rf2 black plays e1Q+
If Qxb6 black plays e1Q+
not sure??

4. Qxb6 e1Q+ fails to Q(b6)- g1

4. ... axb6 and White can't stop the pawn from queening

Simon Rogers · Post by **Simon Rogers** » Tue Jun 09, 2020 6:06 pm

Of course thanks Ian.
After Rcd8 looks like white has no option but to give up queen for rook.
After Rxd8 is white still ok?

IM Jack Rudd · Post by **IM Jack Rudd** » Tue Jun 09, 2020 6:43 pm

4.Kh1 in that line appears to be hard to meet.

Simon Rogers · Post by **Simon Rogers** » Fri Jun 12, 2020 6:31 pm

Thanks for that Jack. Much appreciated

John McKenna · Post by **John McKenna** » Fri Jun 12, 2020 7:41 pm

I wonder if Jack & Ian mean this line of play by White ("The Turk") would have been hard for Black (Dr.Cohen) to meet, or some other line?

The diagram is given on p. 165 with a caption that goes -

THE STARTING POSITION FOR THE ENDGAME...
BLACK CAN WIN IN SEVEN MOVES.

However, the context in which play proceeded from the set position is given on p. 163-4 and includes the fact that Dr. Joshua Cohen - "an acquaintance of Maezel's" (the then owner of the contraption) was offered the choice of playing Black and moving first, or playing White and moving second.

It is futher explained there that he suspected it could have been an attempt to have him choose White because - the face of it - W is a Q & P for a R up and appears to be threatening to win. Since he thought that was intended to make choose to play White and consequently lose he did a shuffle over to Black and played the position from that side.

If you want to know what ensued - some of it still quite topical even today - you will have to peruse the book. Note though that no actual chess moves are given for this or any other game in the book (AFAIK).

Simon Rogers · Post by **Simon Rogers** » Sun Oct 11, 2020 11:23 pm

Thanks for that John. Much appreciated.

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