A chessboard has 64 squares arranged in eight rows and eight columns.

The longer version

Eight files by eight ranks gives 64 squares, and the alternating colouring is not decoration: bishops are locked to one colour for the whole game, so the light-square bishop can never reach a dark square. That split shapes endgames, where a bishop of the wrong colour cannot help a rook pawn promote.

Sixty-four is also convenient for recording games and for machine analysis, since the board fits neatly into binary storage. Larger historical boards existed and were abandoned, and this grid seems to have won because it allows deep strategy without a game lasting days. Coordinates are now standard, with files lettered and ranks numbered from each side's viewpoint.

Where this entry sits

Facts here look at the rules, equipment and odd histories behind familiar sports and games, from balls and rackets to cards, boards and playing fields. Expect small details about scoring quirks, stadium design and the long story of the Olympic Games. The full list sits on the Sports and Games page, where every entry is listed in order.