Not exactly a household name, but as [IEEE Spectrum] points out, he invented a chess automaton in 1920 that ... The Spanish engineer’s machine really did play a modified end game.

A spectator would approach and sit opposite the automaton to play a game of Chess. The automaton would then come to life, picking up the pieces and making moves. To add further surprise to that ...

The story is told of an automaton constructed in such a way that it could play a winning game of chess, answering each move of an opponent with a countermove. A puppet in Turkish attire and with a ...