Standing 7.62 meters tall, a giant chess queen now towers in the heart of Río Ceballos, Argentina. The application for official recognition by Guinness World Records has already been submitted.
When Yanina Pepino showed her father Enrique a photo of a giant King chess piece in St. Louis, Missouri (USA), she never imagined how much it would inspire him.
The moment Enrique saw the image on his phone, he began to envision creating another monumental chess piece—a Queen, but even bigger.
Pepino, a well-known businessman originally from Santa Fe, has lived in Río Ceballos for many years. The wooden king in St. Louis, previously the largest chess piece in the world, measures 6.09 meters tall. The newly inaugurated queen surpasses it, standing at 7.62 meters, and the Guinness World Record recognition process is now underway.
Enrique is also a graphic designer, and as he describes himself, a “pencil-and-paper designer.” He began sketching the queen—the most powerful piece on the board—with a vision for something entirely different.
“It didn’t need to be wooden; it had to be something visually light, something that would blend into the landscape, not disrupt it. Obviously, it had to be more than 7 meters tall. So I started designing the Queen in the Staunton style, keeping its proportions,” he said.
He concluded that iron would be the ideal material for the sculpture. “I did the drawings all in pencil, since I’m an old-school graphic designer. Then I outlined the segments for step-by-step construction. Once I had the plans, I invited my friend José Strasorier, a traditional iron craftsman, to build it together. He and a collaborator, Fernando Rotania, gave shape to the chess sculpture through handcrafted ironwork.”
As for the color, there were only two options: black or white. “Naturally, we chose white because it offers better visibility, especially at night.”
The project was privately funded and built, and is installed on private property in downtown Río Ceballos, directly across from the Chess School founded by Pepino.
“The giant Queen is a symbol that will surely have a positive impact on chess in Córdoba. It will help raise awareness of the many benefits of this science game, and will position Córdoba as a national and international chess reference,” Pepino remarked.
And his vision is gaining traction. At the inauguration, Mario Petrucci, Executive Director of the Argentine Chess Federation (FADA), proposed declaring Río Ceballos the chess capital of Argentina.
He also conveyed a message by FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich, who said: “This giant chess piece is not just a monument to our game but also to a great chess nation. Argentina’s place in chess history, both in Latin America and globally, is undeniable. It hosted important events, produced legends like Julio Bolbochán and Oscar Panno, and now inspires hope with rising stars like 11-year-old Faustino Oro. It is therefore fitting that such a visible chess landmark stands here in Río Ceballos, Córdoba, in the heart of the country! We also hope there will be more support for chess in Argentina and Latin America, so new talents could shine through!”
Petrucci also took the opportunity to celebrate three centennials:
- 100 years of FADA (1922–2022)
- 100 years of the Argentine Olympic Committee (1923–2023)
- 100 years of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) (1924–2024)
The ceremony was filled with emotion. Pepino expressed heartfelt gratitude to everyone who made the project possible—his children, his wife—and became emotional remembering his mother and grandmothers.
Notable attendees included:
- Vice Governor Myrian Prunotto
- Río Ceballos Mayor Ezequiel Lemos
- President of the Córdoba Provincial Chess Federation, Guillermo Soppe
- FADA Executive Director Mario Petrucci
- Dorita Larrachea, President of Talent Academy of Chile
- International Masters María José Campos and Liliana Burijovich, along with other municipal and provincial officials.
“What a brilliant move you made, Enrique! And how wonderful that it’s a Queen, symbolically highlighting all women’s struggles,” said Vice Governor Prunotto in her dedication to Pepino.
The giant piece has already been officially recognized by the Municipality of Río Ceballos as a historic monument, and Vice Governor Prunotto supported the idea of turning the city into a provincial chess hub, including plans for an international tournament in honor of the giant queen.
To round out the celebration, a giant-piece exhibition match was held at Paseo Humberto Francia between Masters Campos and Burijovich. On Sunday, María José Campos will also host simultaneous exhibition games on 25 boards.
Source: lavoz.com.ar/
Photos: Federación Argentina de Ajedrez