Round 2: Tossup 12

Xerxes I was credited with inventing this activity in a treatise on it by Pedro Damiano. A Sasanian (-5[1])Book of the Deeds claims that Ardashir I mastered a predecessor to this activity. 1-by-1 “citadels” are utilized in a “large” variant of this activity named for Tamerlane. To impress Maria Theresa, Wolfgang von Kempelen constructed a fake (15[1])automaton (15[1])that could supposedly perform this activity called the (*) Mechanical (10[1])Turk. This activity evolved from the ancient Indian chaturanga. The Spanish priest Ruy (“ROO-ee”) López names a sequence used in this game. For 10 points, the Persian “shāh māt” is the origin of what board game’s term “checkmate”? ■END■ (10[1])

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