Medicine Hat is home to a giant claim to fame— the largest chess set in the world ! Whether you love to play chess, are a curious traveller, or just looking for a unique destination to spice up your summer road trip, this record-breaking chessboard and its towering pieces promise an experience like no other.

What is the World’s Largest Chess Set?

Certified by Guinness World Records in 2009 , the giant chess set in Medicine Hat is an outdoor, permanently surfaced board measuring an impressive 5.89 meters on each side. The hand-crafted teak wood pieces, built to be played with, include a king that stands a whopping 4 feet tall and weighs nearly 40 pounds. Altogether, the entire set weighs about 870 pounds!

This larger-than-life game was conceptualized and created by Dr. Bill Taylor

See Full Page