Chess Graphic Novels? How Fun!

Howdy! It’s the Chess Friends!

The Man Benji is a hard-working man. After reading 3 middle grade novels, he now embarks on a journey to write about this funny graphic novel in the Geronimo Stilton Reporter series, The Gem Gang, and to share some historical facts that come along with it. Let’s get started!

Geronimo Stilton Reporter Vol. 14: The Gem Gang, by Geronimo Stilton (2023)

Nothing exciting has been happening in Mouse Island for Geronimo Stilton to report about. So, when he gets an invitation to attend a chess match between a new chess computer and the current world champion, Gary Goudov, how can he refuse? What do you know: right after he leaves the city, a news-worthy development happens. Is it connected to the chess match? After many shenanigans, Geronimo, hidden inside the computer, is the one who ends up playing against Goudov! Curious about their game, or the gems? Read the book at your local library to find out!

This little book has some big historical parallels.

If you play chess, I bet you’ve probably heard about the earliest chess computer, the Automaton aka “The Mechanical Turk.” The Automaton was invented in 1769 by a Hungarian engineer Wolfgang von Kempelen to impress Maria Theresa, the Empress of the former Habsburg Empire.

Disguised as a robot with chess analytical skills, the Automaton had a hidden compartment from where a strong chess player operated the game.

Copper engraving from book Briefe über den Schachspieler des Hrn. von Kempelen. Source: Wiki

Like a true magician, its inventor never revealed its secret. The Automaton attracted the attention of many, as it traveled around Europe for people to see and to play against it. The secret was kept even when the invention was sold to another engineer, Johann Maelzel, who was a friend of Ludwig van Beethoven and invented the metronome!

Many people got to play against the machine, including Benjamin Franklin, Napoleon (game linked here), and Philidor. If you study chess, you can probably guess that Philidor won!  In 1826, the Automaton crossed the Atlantic for a North American tour.  It was a sensation, but some people were skeptical that it was a robot playing, and not a human inside. But nobody was really concerned about that, because the show was spectacular, and the chess was good!

Unfortunately, the Automaton got lost in the museum fire later on. Only the chess board survived. You might ask, how do I know so many details? Well, it's all thanks to the legendary chess coach FM Sunil Weeramantry and his friends, and their awesome chess book that’s packed with interesting historical facts like that!

Great Moves: Learning Chess Through History by Sunil Weeramantry, Alan Abrams, Robert McLellan (2017)

Going back to our featured Geronimo Stilton graphic novel, another thing the Gem Gang reminded me was the matches between GM Gary Kasparov and a supercomputer Deep Blue. We will not go deep into that (get it?), because a book about these events, Kasparov vs. Deep Blue, co-written by none other than GM Maurice Ashley himself, will be out next year! His co-author is Newbery Honor author Steve Sheinkin and it is illustrated by Thien Pham. It's going to be in the graphic novel format!!! What fun!

We are looking forward to that one for sure!

That’s all for now, Fellow Future Master Chess Friends. Learn history and play chess!

The Man Benji, the Myth Sarang, and the Legend Vivi