Human chess pieces battle in St. Louis game

ST. LOUIS -- A St. Louis chess club put on a game that replaced traditional chess pieces with St. Louis sports figures, students and local chess players.

On Friday, 32 people took the place of kings, queens, rooks, bishops, knights and pawns on an oversized board on a St. Louis street. Two chess grandmasters directed their moves.

The event was played as the best chess players from around the nation are gathering in St. Louis for the U.S. Chess Championship.

The Chess Club and Scholastic Center of St. Louis is hosting the event. The final match is planned for Monday.

Players are competing for a total of more than $170,000 in prizes. The winner will get $35,000.

Hikaru Nakamura is defending his 2009 championship. Nakamura plans to move soon from Seattle to St. Louis.