Generate a checkered matrix in Python.

checker.py

from itertools as it

# Generator a -> Int -> List a
def take(generator, n):
    """ Return first n elements of generator as list. """
    return list(it.islice(generator, n))

# List a -> Int -> List a
def takecycle(elements, n):
    """ Return first n elements of infinite cycle given by elements. """
    return thread_first(
      elements, 
      it.cycle, 
      (take, n))    

# Int -> Int -> 2D Array Int
def checker(rows, cols):
    """ Produce a checkerboard matrix of zeros and ones of given shape. """
    first_row = np.array(takecycle([False,True], cols))
    return np.array(takecycle([first_row, ~first_row], rows)).astype(int)
    
assert checker(2,3) = \
    [[0,1,0],
     [1,0,1]]