Benjamin Franklin and "the Turk"

In 1783, Benjamin Franklin received an invitation to play chess against a chess-playing machine called "the Turk." This supposed chess-playing machine was a life-size figure of a man seated in front of a chessboard, invented by Baron Wolfgang von Kempelen who called it his "automaton." Although Benjamin Franklin knew that the technology was not available in those days for a truly automated chess-playing machine, nevertheless the illusion was so excellent that no one of the time could guess how the moves were communicated to the player inside (yes, there was a player inside), nor the mechanisms that made the arms move. In fact, it appears some extensive optical illusions were used to prevent the audience from seeing the player inside when "the Turk" was apparently opened for viewing.
We know that Benjamin Franklin accepted the invitation. Neither the specific moves nor the ultimate results of the game are reported in Franklin's letters (which suggests that he probably lost). "The Turk" defeated all but a few of the finest chess players of the time. However, we also know that Franklin enjoyed the game against his mechanized opponent immensely and took some interest into the workings of the automaton.
Today, there is no automated "Turk" to challenge us to a game of chess. There may be a niche for something like it at state fairs -- I remember my daughter playing checkers with Rudolph the Reindeer years ago at a fund-raiser for the local zoo. But we do have real automated chess-playing machines available to help us build our skills in chess, or to pass those times when we cannot find a worthy opponent.
Visit www.ChessRight.com to see our selection of the electronic chess games, starting at $57.00 plus shipping.


Keep playing chess!