Use a table element.
Each square is represented with a td element. Each row and column element is represented with a th.
In the example I also added CSS to style the chess board.
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title></title>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<style>
.chess-board { border-spacing: 0; border-collapse: collapse; }
.chess-board th { padding: .5em; }
.chess-board td { border: 1px solid; width: 2em; height: 2em; }
.chess-board .light { background: #eee; }
.chess-board .dark { background: #000; }
</style>
</head>
<body>
<table class="chess-board">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th></th>
<th>a</th>
<th>b</th>
<th>c</th>
<th>d</th>
<th>e</th>
<th>f</th>
<th>g</th>
<th>h</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>8</th>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>7</th>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>6</th>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>5</th>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>4</th>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>3</th>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>2</th>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>1</th>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</body>
</html>

(ADDED)
If you want to add the pieces:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title></title>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<style>
.chess-board { border-spacing: 0; border-collapse: collapse; }
.chess-board th { padding: .5em; }
.chess-board th + th { border-bottom: 1px solid #000; }
.chess-board th:first-child,
.chess-board td:last-child { border-right: 1px solid #000; }
.chess-board tr:last-child td { border-bottom: 1px solid; }
.chess-board th:empty { border: none; }
.chess-board td { width: 1.5em; height: 1.5em; text-align: center; font-size: 32px; line-height: 0;}
.chess-board .light { background: #eee; }
.chess-board .dark { background: #aaa; }
</style>
</head>
<body>
<table class="chess-board">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th></th>
<th>a</th>
<th>b</th>
<th>c</th>
<th>d</th>
<th>e</th>
<th>f</th>
<th>g</th>
<th>h</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>8</th>
<td class="light">♜</td>
<td class="dark">♞</td>
<td class="light">♝</td>
<td class="dark">♛</td>
<td class="light">♚</td>
<td class="dark">♝</td>
<td class="light">♞</td>
<td class="dark">♜</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>7</th>
<td class="dark">♟</td>
<td class="light">♟</td>
<td class="dark">♟</td>
<td class="light">♟</td>
<td class="dark">♟</td>
<td class="light">♟</td>
<td class="dark">♟</td>
<td class="light">♟</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>6</th>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>5</th>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>4</th>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>3</th>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
<td class="dark"></td>
<td class="light"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>2</th>
<td class="light">♙</td>
<td class="dark">♙</td>
<td class="light">♙</td>
<td class="dark">♙</td>
<td class="light">♙</td>
<td class="dark">♙</td>
<td class="light">♙</td>
<td class="dark">♙</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>1</th>
<td class="dark">♖</td>
<td class="light">♘</td>
<td class="dark">♗</td>
<td class="light">♕</td>
<td class="dark">♔</td>
<td class="light">♗</td>
<td class="dark">♘</td>
<td class="light">♖</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</body>
</html>
