St. Louis’ growing resume as the center of the chess universe grew by 14.5 feet yesterday as the world’s largest chess piece was unveiled at the World Chess Hall of Fame in the Central West End yesterday.

The king piece, which is 14.5 feet high and weighs 2,280 pounds, sits just outside the World Chess Hall of Fame. It was presented to promote the 2012 U.S. Chess Championships, which began on Tuesday and has been hosted by the club for the past four years.

The structure was originally meant to be installed in The Grove on the Manchester strip, but officials worried that the king wouldn’t stand out with all the giant queens that regularly visit that area.

[Editor’s Note: If you didn’t laugh at that one-liner. Read it again and then click right here immediately after.]

via KMOV (dito photo credit)