If you're using GIMP 2 than do the following:
Click on "file" > "New">
> set your resolution [128,256,512] and after that >
> bellow the "width" and the "height" windows it will say
"Advanced options", click on it >
> Than find a text saying " Fill with" and choose your background to be Transparent.
And click "ok".
You can draw anything on it, but the parts that look like a chess table will be transparent.