The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-10-04 00:00:00

AN AUTOMATON CHESS PLAY.

On Saturday anew" tolutIon" of the remarkable problem
known aa the Automaton Chen Player was given at the
er)stal Palace, and laths. deicrlbed by The Tames:—
The so-called "mechanical puzzle," represented by
a quiet-looking Turk, with the mouthpiece of hia
hoseksh in his left hand, was first viewed in it. own in-
terior and surroundings, not very minutely, it is true, but
Buff iently to show that no person was in the cabinet
which raises the cross-legged figure from the floor,
nor in its body, for daylight was shown through
the chest and back. The opportunity of playing& game
was offered to any one in company, and the figure had,
as it appears it always has, the first move. It moved
the King'. pawn, and as quickly as peasible the knights
were brought into play, and with wonderfully good
effect. The figure moved its pieces with its right
hand, which, when not playing, rested at its side. It
played without hesitation, and on winning & place
raised its right hand, dropped it on the piece, removed
the piece to the side, and then moved its awn to the
sqoare thus vacated. All these operations were per.
'ruled without the least confusion. When a vrrong
more was made the figure violently shook its head and
set the wrongly-moved piece in its place. When check
was given it drew attention to the fact by nodding twice.
There was no outward connexion with the figure, and
though it was wound up before the commencement of
play, as if to set clock work in motion, there was no regolar
intervals of movementto account for. machine playing.
particular game with a confederate, for the moves on
the part of the company were thought out and irregular
intervals of time elapsed. The first player did not
finish the game, PO disheartened was he by the havoc
made on his pieces by the knights; and the second
player, who played a tolerably good game, was check-
mated in a very short space of time. The figure then
gave the knight's tour," that is, went over every
square on the board in the irregular manner prescribed
for the knight to move, and this without touching a
square the second time. The "so ntion of the mystery"
was then promised for the first time. The chest and
back of the figure were again thrown open to view,
and the cabinet beneath, showing only what
-eared to be intricate machinery. A box,
only differing from ordinary boxes by its being
pierced with little holes, was then exhibited, and
locked and strapped no in the presence of the
company. The box was left by the figure, and the
curtain descended. It must be remarked that the place
on which the figure stands is in the midst of the arm
dience, and the curtain is all round, so that there can
be no communication from without in any way. In a
few minutes the curtain was raised, the box was un-
strapped and unlocked, and displayed a youth inside.
The exhibitor at once introduced the lad as the "player"
of the figure, and the youth did the knight's tour again,
adding to the exploit by beginning at a named square
and ending at another. He was then enveloped in a
sack, placed in the box, which was again locked and
strapped, the curtain again fell for. short interval, and
when it was raised the box was found empty and the
figure was again, in more senses than one, filled with
life. The audience laughed when they were told this
was the "solution," for the whole exhibition was fairly
puzzling and ingenious.