It was a complicated hoax, with a strong human player concealed within the cabinet, moving the pieces via mechanical devices.
Some players who inhabited the autonaton were Allgaier, Alexander and Williams.
did they have a chess set inside,or did they play blindfold?
Ajeeb Don't forget Ajeeb, this was a superb chess automaton built by Charles Hopper, a Bristol cabinet-maker, in 1865. The life-size Indian figure was operated by several chess and checker masters. One of the operators of Ajeeb was chess and checker master Constant Ferdinand Burille. During his years as operator, he played over 900 games of chess and only lost 3 games. He never lost a single checker game. Harry Nelson Pillsbury (probably the best player never to become World Champion) was its hidden operator from 1898 to 1904. He used to secrete a bottle of whisky inside the machine cos' it was thirsty work on a hot day. Ajeeb played checkers for a dime and chess for a quarter.