white side or black side?

Chess is a draw, but the path to the draw is wider for white and narrower for black.

Chess is not yet "solved" (engines can't calculate everything from the start of the game until the end), so we don't know for certain if chess is a draw with best play or a forced win exists somewhere. However, white does have a slight advantage because moving first gives them the "initiative" and a ply (half a move) earlier than black to create threats (or do useful things such as control the center). 

There are many players out there who debate if chess is a draw or win with best play, but it is my opinion that chess is probably a draw with best play. My reasoning for this is connected to an old endgame principle called "The Principle of Two Weaknesses" which states that a chess endgame usually can be forced into a win if that side can take advantage of two weaknesses from the opponent's position. A "weakness" could be a material disadvantage, a weak square, inferior minor piece, a less active King, a space disadvantage or many other things. Usually, if the winning side only has one weakness they can attack, then the defending side can hold a draw (unless that weakness is severe). 

For this reasoning, my hypothesis is that chess (with best play) gives white a slight advantage due to being able to move first, but this one advantage is not enough to force a win and therefore, chess would be a draw.