Finally making a chess board - need some finishing advice

[Xamu]

Hi guys,

Even though I'm more of a checkers kinda guy I've decided to build myself a chess board. There are three reasons:

1. Chess board sounds classier
2. A buddy of mine (was once a rated player) is teaching me chess
3. When nobody is looking, I can still play checkers on it

The board won't be a big one - just something I can haul to the cafeteria to play with my buddy during lunch. I'm thinking 7/8" or 1" squares.

I have some scrap red oak and mahogony that should do fine. I've got it thicknessed to a hair under ½".

Here's where I need some help.

1. Both species are open grain. Should I use some sort of a sanding sealer?
2. Should I stain the mahogony? And if so, with what?
3. If I stain the mahonony, should do it before I cut the strips so when I glue everything together I'll have a clean gluing surface? (I think it would be almost impossible to stain the mahogony after the board is assembled without getting some on the oak.)
4. Is there anything I should have asked but didn't?