Eagle Scout’s 14-foot granite chessboard a win with community

Boy Scout Andrew Dowden made a 14-foot granite chessboard with laser-engraved images of the state’s historical figures and events that would be installed at Adrian’s Island Park, a short walk from the Missouri state capitol building.

To become an Eagle Scout, Scouts are required to plan, develop, and give leadership to others in a service project helpful to any religious institution, school, or community. This giant chess set is Andrew's Eagle service project.

He didn’t know how to play chess. Now he’s falling in love with the game as his project helped commemorate his state’s bicentennial and attracted the attention of the governor.

For more information, see:

Checkmate! Eagle Scout’s chess project a win with community

World Chess Hall of Fame: Missouri Bicentennial

Lol, ppl must run to play bullet with a board and pieces that big. Cool!

Sydney, NSW,  has a huge one, and the players do run. 

I have to agree with y'all, though, this one is real Cool! 

Where is it? The only open air big boards I know are in Hyde Park.

If you catch the train down to Kiama you can see a giant set on a penthouse deck overlooking the park and moorings. Never seen anybody using it.

Yeah, Hyde Park. But they are badly in need of a scrub and a coat of paint.

I live in Victoria now, but before I retired, I would often play there.

I was complimented on a few occasions by people who said I played moves which they could follow. Shows I am not really all that great a player.

No "mysterious" Rook moves from the likes of me! 

You and I must have different definitions of "run"

Must take a run and see it if I ever return down that way.

Around the Gong is some of the best scenery in NSW, perhaps even Australia,. although WA takes some beatng.  

That set in Hyde park is worn out. It's dominated by old men who shove the peices around with their feet and urinate in the bushes. I don't go there any more.

The loo there is closer than the bushes !

Come to think of it, the bushes are not that thick.

BTW, I shifted to Victoria two and a half years ago, and beat the plague by 6 weeks, and went through the world record-breaking lockdowns of Dan's, whose job seems to be on the line, going by the news.

That's a great looking chess set, and an impressive project to plan and complete. I hope it gets put to good use. In states like Missouri people are probably a lot more receptive to things like that. In Oregon, especially in the capital city, that chess set would be stolen, crushed and set on fire within a few days.