chessboard

American  

[ches-bawrd, -bohrd] / ˈtʃɛsˌbɔrd, -ˌboʊrd /

noun

• chessboards
  plural

1. the board, identical with a checkerboard, used for playing chess.

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chessboard British  

/ ˈtʃɛsˌbɔːd /

noun

1. a square board divided into 64 squares of two alternating colours, used for playing chess or draughts

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• chessboards
  plural

Etymology

Origin of chessboard

1400–50; late Middle English. See chess ¹, board

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

chessboard chessboards

Walking in these diagonal directions, as well as 5 feet in the straight compass directions, shows that many pairs of dots on this giant chessboard are exactly 5 feet apart.

From Slate ● Jun. 22, 2026

Eventually, in the book’s climactic scene, he faces Mr. Carlsen again in a hybrid tournament, with a digital chessboard, a live audience and extensive security precautions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 3, 2026

“If you move one piece on the chessboard, it changes everything for your next move,” she says.

From Barron's ● Nov. 12, 2025

Mothers, fathers and whole families are figures on a chessboard, disposable.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 29, 2025

I, too, awaited the king’s move, like his pawn on a chessboard.

From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein

Over the weekend, a representative from Goliath Games went on NPR and announced that sales of chessboards were up one thousand percent from last holiday season.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 24, 2020

Before “Fortnite,” “Minecraft,” “Myst,” “Tetris” and “Pong” there were backyard baseball diamonds, chessboards and hopscotch tiles etched or placed on the ground.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 18, 2020

There are footballs, golf balls, softballs, chessboards, Legos–everything a curious kid could dream of–covering our office space.

From Time ● Nov. 2, 2015

The alternating colors on chessboards should be muted—“soft to the eye, not glaring or highly reflective, as players study the board for hours at a time,” said Mr. Seirawan.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2015

I wheel him to his friends who are waiting, with chessboards spread, eager to see him.

From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali