Jacques François Mouret

Jacques François Mouret (1787–1837) was a French chess master of the early 19th century who became chess tutor of the future Louis Philippe I and was one of the most successful operators of The Turk, a famous chess-playing automaton.

Mouret was a great-nephew of Philidor and learned the game of chess at the Café de la Régence by Bernard and Carlier, students of Philidor. He was a pupil of Alexandre Deschapelles and later he became a teacher of Bourdonnais. He also gave chess lessons to the children of the French King Louis Philippe I. In 1819, he was the operator of The Turk during its tour in England and probably the person, who sold the secret of The Turk to the press.

Although talented, Mouret's personality was affected by alcoholism. Alphonse Delannoy, editor in 1842 of the chess periodical Le Palamède, wrote that "He was a clever fellow, sharp, gay, lively,amusing, and had studied seriously the theory of chess, by which he made his living. His talent redeemed a little the rudeness of his manner and a certain licentiousness which he indulged in. He used to be in a continual state of semi-intoxication", and George Walker wrote that "His brain was consumed in the Brandy".

In 1836 a book The Treaty Elementary Game of Chess, appeared which is often attributed to Mouret on the basis of the preface, but it seems that he was only the "corrector" as evidenced by an advertisement found in a newspaper after his death.

He ended his life in a state of severe physical and mental deterioration, without a penny to his name. Early in 1837 Le Palamède published an invitation to help the old chess master, but with the following issue the journal published his obituary. The members of the Chess Club of Paris took charge of his funeral expenses.

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