Chessboard
A square made up of 64 equal-sized squares, alternating light and dark, eight to a side. The light squares are called white squares, the dark ones black squares.
The board is set up so that a white corner square is on the player's right. Every square has a name of its own, used to record the moves of a game or a given position.
There are three kinds of rows of squares: files, ranks, and diagonals.
Files
Straight rows of squares running vertically.
Ranks
Straight rows of squares running horizontally.
Diagonals
Rows of same-colored squares running on a slant.
The a1-h8 and h1-a8 diagonals are called the long diagonals.
Flanks
The a-d files make up the queenside.
The e-h files make up the kingside.
Center
The d4-d5-e5-e4 squares are called the central squares, or the center.