× 8 ) ▁of ▁altern ating ▁dark ▁and ▁light ▁color , ▁typically ▁green ▁and ▁buff ▁( o fficial ▁tournament s ), ▁black ▁and ▁red ▁( consum er ▁commercial ), ▁or ▁black ▁and ▁white ▁( print ed ▁diag rams ). ▁An ▁ 8 × 8 ▁check er board ▁is ▁used ▁to ▁play ▁many ▁other ▁games , ▁including ▁ch ess , ▁where by ▁it ▁is ▁known ▁as ▁a ▁ch ess board . ▁Other ▁rect angular ▁square - t iled ▁bo ards ▁are ▁also ▁often ▁called ▁check er boards . ▁ ▁Games ▁and ▁puzz les ▁using ▁check er boards ▁ ▁Martin ▁Gard ner ▁featured ▁puzz les ▁based ▁on ▁check er boards ▁in ▁his ▁November ▁ 1 9 6 2 ▁Mathemat ical ▁Games ▁column ▁in ▁Scient ific ▁American . ▁A ▁square ▁check er board ▁with ▁an ▁altern ating ▁pattern ▁is ▁used ▁for ▁games ▁including : ▁ ▁Ama z ons ▁ ▁Chap ay ev ▁ ▁Ch ess ▁and ▁some ▁of ▁its ▁variants ▁( see ▁ch ess board ) ▁ ▁Czech ▁dra ug ht s ▁ ▁Dra ug ht s , ▁also ▁known ▁as ▁check ers ▁ ▁F ris ian ▁dra ug ht s ▁ ▁G oun ki ▁ ▁International ▁dra ug ht s ▁ ▁Italian ▁dra ug ht s ▁ ▁L ines ▁of ▁Action ▁ ▁Pool ▁check ers ▁ ▁Russian ▁check ers ▁ ▁The ▁following ▁games ▁require ▁an ▁ 8 × 8 ▁board ▁and ▁are ▁sometimes ▁played ▁on ▁a ▁ch ess board . ▁ ▁Ar ima a ▁ ▁Break through ▁ ▁Cross ings ▁ ▁Mak - y ek