Moreover, the automaton is angry and becomes homicidal after he loses. These are emotions typically ascribed to human beings. This is the unknown or X-Factor in the story. By thinking, does the automaton also acquire other traits, such as emotions? Like in humans, do these render the automaton as someone who has free will and who is unpredictable? Finally, the title suggests that the automaton is the "master", not Moxon. This raises the question of whether the automaton's intelligence can potentially become superior to that of its maker, the human, Moxon. This is the future danger alluded to in the story. The automaton becomes the master of the man. See also List of fictional robots and androids The Turk Walker Chess-player Sources Grenander, M.E. Ambrose Bierce. NY: Twayne Publishers, 1971. McWilliams, Carey (1929; reprinted 1967). Ambrose Bierce: A Biography, Archon Books. O'Conner, Richard (1967). Ambrose Bierce: a Biography, with illustrations, Boston, Little, Brown and Company. External links Full text of the short story 1899 short stories Science fiction short stories Short stories by Ambrose Bierce Robots in literature Chess automatons Short stories about chess 1899 in chess Fiction set in 1899