What may have influenced the association of red with black in chess is
that, on the old classic chessboards, the "dark" squares were often
colored red, in contrast to the neutral coloring of the "light" ones.
Note that I speak of boards, not of pieces. I still have the splendid
Staunton championship set that had originally belonged to my
grandfather, and on which my father taught me the rudiments of the
game. The pieces, or men, are "white" (actually the lacquered original
light wood) and black, while the board -- whose base only has been
reinforced -- retains its pristine surface colors of light beige
leather and red.
Greetings,
DN