This is the chessboard, where all the action takes place. It is the same as a checkerboard: 8 x 8 squares, alternating dark and light. Unlike checkers, though, chess uses all 64 squares.
There is a proper way to position the chessboard: you should always have a light square in the lower-right corner. "Light on Right" is a good way to remember this.
As an aid in recording games, and talking or writing about chess, each square on the board has been given a name. To help remember the names of the squares, many boards include letters and numbers along the sides.
We name the vertical columns a, b, c... through h.
We name the horizontal rows 1, 2, 3... through 8.
In addition to calling each square by name, we also call the vertical columns by name. These columns are called "
files", and they run straight between you and your partner. We call them: the a file, the b file, the c file, all the way over to the h file.
We also give a name to each of the horizontal rows on the board. These are called "
ranks", and they run perpendicular between you and your partner. Numbered from White's side up the board they are: The first rank, the second rank, the third rank... Up to the eighth rank.
Finally, we also have names for the diagonals. Diagonals can be dark squares, light squares, they can go either way, they can be as short as two, three, or four square in length, or as long as 8 squares in length.
Diagonals are referred to by their starting and ending squares. So, we speak of the a1-h8 diagonal, or the a6-c8 diagonal.
For beginners, the diagonals are often the hardest thing to see during the game.
In chess, you will often hear about "the center". This refers to the 4 squares in the center of the board (d4, d5, e4, and e5). These are strategically important squares, so it is good to familiarize yourself with the center right from the start.