Definition

Noun: 1. A chessboard: A square board, typically with a grid of 64 alternating light and dark squares (8x8), used for playing chess or checkers. 2. A checkered board/pattern: Any surface divided into a regular grid of squares, often alternating in color, resembling a chessboard. This can describe fields, tiles, or other patterned surfaces.

Usage Examples

• (He is arranging the pieces on the chessboard.)
• (The room is tiled with a checkered pattern.)
• (Seen from above, the field looks like a giant checkerboard.)

Advanced Usage

• Mặt bàn cờ: Can refer literally to the surface of a game board or metaphorically to a situation or arena of strategic competition (e.g., in business, politics).
  • Trên mặt bàn cờ chính trị, mọi nước đi đều phải tính toán kỹ lưỡng. (On the political chessboard, every move must be carefully calculated.)
• Bày bàn cờ: To set up a chessboard. Can be used figuratively to mean "to set the stage" or "to arrange a situation."
  • Đối thủ đã bày bàn cờ và chờ ta vào trận. (The opponent has set up the board and is waiting for us to join the game.)

Variants and Related Words

• Bàn cờ tướng: Specifically a Chinese chess (Xiangqi) board.
• Ô cờ: A square on a chessboard/checkerboard.
• Quân cờ: A chess piece; a checker.
• Cờ vua: Chess (the game).
• Cờ tướng: Chinese chess (Xiangqi).
• Cờ vây: Go (the board game).
• Cờ caro: Tic-tac-toe.

Synonyms

• Bàn chơi cờ: Game board for chess/checkers. (Less common)
• Bảng ô vuông: Grid of squares. (Descriptive, not specific to games)

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Nước cờ: A chess move. Figuratively, a strategic move or step in a plan.
  • Đó là một nước cờ rất khôn ngoan. (That was a very wise move.)
• Thí quân: To sacrifice a piece (in chess). Figuratively, to sacrifice something for a larger goal.
• Chiếu tướng/Chiếu bí: Check/Checkmate. Figuratively, to corner someone or bring a situation to a decisive end.
• Cuộc chơi lớn: The "big game." Refers to high-stakes competition in fields like business or geopolitics, implicitly comparing it to a chess match.

noun

1. Chessboard
2. Chequered board
   • ruộng bàn cờ
     a chequered field