Simple Frame Chess Board

Nail the four 1x2 pieces together into a square frame with 1-1/4" brad nails and wood glue, mitered or butt-jointed corners both work fine here.

Glue and nail the 1/4" plywood panel onto the frame. Sand any rough edges flush and fill the nail holes with wood filler before painting.

Mark an 8x8 grid on the panel in pencil first, checking your spacing before any tape or paint goes down. Tape off every other square with painter's tape, burnishing the edges down firmly so paint can't creep underneath, then spray the exposed squares black. Pull the tape while the paint is still slightly tacky for the cleanest line, let it cure, then seal the whole board with polyurethane. Attach the clipboard clip to the back for hanging.