En Passant
Learn en passant.
What is En Passant?
En passant (French for 'in passing') is a special pawn capture that can only happen immediately after an opponent advances their pawn two squares from its starting position, and it lands beside your pawn.
How En Passant Works
When an opponent's pawn advances two squares and lands beside your pawn, you can capture it as if it had only moved one square. Your pawn moves diagonally to the square the opponent's pawn passed through, and the opponent's pawn is removed.
The One-Move Rule
En passant must be executed immediately on the very next move. If you don't capture en passant right away, you lose the right to do so for that specific pawn advance.
Why En Passant Exists
En passant was introduced when the two-square pawn advance rule was added to speed up the game. Without en passant, a pawn could bypass an opponent's pawn by advancing two squares, which would be unfair.
Common En Passant Mistakes
The most common mistake is forgetting the one-move rule — many players think they can capture en passant at any time, but the right expires immediately if not used. Another frequent error is attempting en passant when the opponent's pawn only moved one square (it must advance two squares from its starting position). In tournament play, failing to notice an en passant opportunity can cost you a critical pawn advantage.
En Passant in Practice
En passant occurs most frequently in the middlegame when pawns are advancing toward promotion. It's particularly important in pawn endgames where a single pawn can decide the outcome. Strong players use the threat of en passant as a strategic tool — sometimes advancing a pawn two squares is risky precisely because the opponent can capture en passant and open a file.
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