Läufer

Läufer is a German noun with several distinct meanings. The most common are a person who runs, a chess piece, and a long narrow rug.

As a person, Läufer denotes a runner or athlete; used in sports contexts such as Leichtathletik to refer to track and field competitors, from sprinters to distance runners.

In chess, Läufer refers to the bishop. Each side starts with two Läufer, on c1 and f1 for White and c8 and f8 for Black. A Läufer moves diagonally any number of squares, cannot jump over other pieces, and remains on squares of a single color throughout the game. The bishop is typically valued at about 3 points; having two Läufer is often advantageous in open positions.

In interior design, a Läufer is a long, narrow rug or carpet placed along hallways, stairs, or entryways. Sizes vary, commonly several meters long but only a few tens of centimeters wide; used for decoration and to protect flooring.