⚔️ En Passant (The “In Passing” Pawn Capture)
En passant is a special pawn capture that surprises many beginners because the captured pawn is removed from a different square than where your pawn lands. The key rule is simple: it’s only available immediately after a two-square pawn advance.
Step-by-step example (with diagrams)
Every pawn, on its first move, has the choice of moving either one or two squares forward.
Look at this diagram:
Black may think: “If I move my pawn one square White will capture it, so I'll move it two squares,” and the position would be as shown below:
However, White can still capture the black pawn as if it had moved only one square.
The new position would be as shown below. White removes the black pawn from the board and places the white pawn on the square the black pawn would have moved to if it had only moved one square forward.
This special way of capturing is called capturing en passant and is abbreviated e.p. En passant is a French expression which means “in passing.”
FAQ
What is en passant in chess?
En passant is a special pawn capture made immediately after an opponent advances a pawn two squares from its starting square, when your pawn could have captured it on the intermediate square.
When can you capture en passant?
Only on your very next move after the opponent’s two-square pawn advance.
Is en passant mandatory?
No—capturing en passant is optional.
Why does this rule exist?
It prevents a pawn from “skipping past” an enemy pawn’s capture square by jumping two squares on its first move.
➡️ Next Steps
Next up: what counts as a draw in chess (stalemate, repetition, insufficient material, and more).