Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-09-11
A NUT UAL DISCOVERY.

me the inerrancy, the sluggish persistence,
the sledge-hammer invincibility of my own
mechanical chess-monitor. How you hung
to his throat, dogged every step of his re-
treat; guarded every avenue and repulsed
every sortie-drawing the meshes of the
inevitable checkmate about his struggling
hosts! 1t was prodigious! In every way
worthy of my marvellous mechanical moni-
tor"
could not repress q smile.
"Have you, too, been led to experiment
with chess automata?" / asked; not, how
ever, without a touch of curiosity.
Experiment I have achieved the most
~sComplete success!'' and he threw his head
back proudly.
was about to vent an incredulous sneer,
but he interrupted me, saying:
81 know you to be impregnated with the
popular prejudices You think that an
automatic chess player is an absurdity, and
whv? Because Kempelen constructed one
which was operated by fraud / had the
same idea when 1 first considered the
problem, but, determined not to let the
rabble Judge for me, set about to investi-
gate the matter on my own account My
discoveries astonished me. ] came to the
conclusion that the construction of an auto
matte chess PLAYER was not alone possible,
but was mere bagatelle to the intelligent
mechanician.'
''The bases of the system which out
lined were certain mathematical principles
governing the game, buttressed by several
aXioms of every day applicability.
''There is an old proverb, II faut gu 'une
porte soft ouverte ou fermee, which formed
the foundation of nv method / reasoned
thus: There can be but one correct reply
70 each move; there may be million moves
possible, but only one can be correct"
Il 1, sol @h<v. h1av,,
before me labored under the idea that the
construction of q chess, automaton must be
rs complex as the mind of the human being
with whom he was to contend Thus
viewed il is wonder that the problem was
ever attempted at all. Imagine the alb
uurdity of file and hammer, steel and brass
as factors in the construction of mechanical
equivalents for the Island OF Reil, the
thalamus opticus, or any of the numberless
gyri whose functions even are velled from
our insufficient knowledge and undeyeloped
perceptions"
81 saw from the first the fallacy of this
theory and thrust it aside. A man may err
in judgment and move wrongly; machine
will never forget the lessons derived from
its creator nor disobey his injunctions; it
cannot make mistakes The man moves by
will, a capacity variable and capricious; the
automaton by necessity. the stern and in
oxorable law which guides the stars; that
has his choice of many moves, all but one
of which are faulty; this is without an alter
native and must play correctly.
Here Houdin paused. To say that
was perple1ed by his specious arguments
would be putting it mildly; they fairly
carried me by storm. He did not afford me
much chance to collect my thoughts, but
continued his disquisition.
'FYou see that the task is now reduced to
4
the moment when the proposition 1 have
just expounded became obvious to me my
work was mere routine; and, l3 days after
ward, my model was completed. 1t was
an entire success. While the delicscy of
ite construction and its form render 1t un-
suitable for exhibition in public, 1t is all
the more marvellous as an achievement OF
mechanics since anyone could carry it under
his arm without inconvenience.
''It is then" asked, mot Hfe-sized
fgure?"
"It is not figure at all, ;" was the reply,
''but q chess board, in nowise differing from
any other except that 1T is slightly thicker
to make room for the interior mechanism.
1t is not intended to play the game, but
only to guide the player.
Il do not understand you" I said.
LET me explain. The margin Of the
board is purposely decorated with design
of very small and intricate pattern. Your
opponent has no sooner moved than one OF
the small squares of this pattern is replaced
Nby another, whereon are two figures, which
indicate thereon the proper piece to move
In reply, the other the square upon which
1t should be placed So that after every
move your opponent, disconnected by the
quickness and accuracy of your game, grows
furried, makes errors, and falls an easy vic
tim, while you reap all the glory Of victory
without the toll of battle"
'Tngeniousl" / exclaimed; "but unfair"
Houdin rose suddenly and walked toward
the window.
For few minutes he stood there, booking
fXedly across the beautiful gardens Of the
Palais Royal, as though graphing with
some still intangible, half-formed idea
Then he returned and stood still before me-
''Edouard. will you give me your assist