{"id":1186,"date":"2023-03-22T07:16:39","date_gmt":"2023-03-22T07:16:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chessarea.com\/?p=1186"},"modified":"2023-03-22T07:16:40","modified_gmt":"2023-03-22T07:16:40","slug":"what-is-en-passant-in-chess","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chessarea.com\/what-is-en-passant-in-chess\/","title":{"rendered":"What is En Passant In Chess?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Whether you\u2019re a chess beginner or a seasoned player, the en passant move is arguably one of the most misunderstood moves in the entirety of the game, and its rare occurrence means that some players aren\u2019t even aware that it exists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"What<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This move is a good one to learn about, even if the circumstances for it to happen don\u2019t occur very often, you might just be able to surprise an unsuspecting opponent with this move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, if you want to learn more about en passant, what it means, its origins, and more, then this guide will provide you with all of the information you need to know. So let\u2019s get started!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is En Passant In Chess?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

So, if you\u2019ve never heard of en passant, then allow us to explain a little bit more about this rule, and exactly what it means in the world of chess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meaning \u201cin passing\u201d in French, en passant is a rule in chess that allows you to use a pawn to capture an opposition pawn on adjacent squares, but only under certain conditions. The governing body of chess, FIDE<\/a>, phrases it as such:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA pawn attacking a square crossed by an opponent\u2019s pawn which has advanced two squares in one move from its original square may capture this opponent\u2019s pawn as though the latter had been moved only one square. This capture is only legal on the move following this advance and is called an \u2018en passant\u2019 capture.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now chances are you\u2019re as confused as we are after reading that description, so let\u2019s take a look at this rule in terms of a hypothetical game, which should hopefully help you to understand the rule a bit better!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 1<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Hypothetically, say you\u2019re white, and you decide to move your e-pawn into the 5th rank over the duration of the game, so that it is on the square e5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 2<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For en passant to work, black needs to have not moved their d-pawn or f-pawn (the pawns on the tiles adjacent to your pawn on e5) forwards as of yet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, they decide to bring forward their pawn two squares forward, so that their d-pawn is now on d5, making it directly adjacent to the pawn you moved earlier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 3<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

On your next move, you now have the option to capture black\u2019s pawn on d5 as if it was on d6, this will mean that you take black\u2019s pawn, with your pawn now finishing on d6.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The circumstances in which this move is legal are oddly specific, which is exactly why you don\u2019t see the move occur in more games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s important to note that your opponent HAS to have made the two square move with their pawn in order for the move to be legal, and if you don\u2019t decide to capture en passant, then you miss the chance to do so entirely for that pawn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where Did En Passant Originate<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n