En passant is a rare chess move that refers to a unique way of capturing a pawn. Once a pawn advances two squares forward, the enemy pawn in the adjacent square can capture that pawn. It is a one-time “take it or leave it” opportunity, and if not taken in that turn, it will not be valid in the next turn. The name describes how the move works in French, which translates to ‘in passing’. It is shown as a normal pawn takes pawn in the notation sheet.
- TL;DR:
- En Passant Origins
- How does En Passant Work?
- En Passant Rules
- The Three Conditions for En Passant
- En Passant Examples Step by Step
- Example: White captures en passant
- Example #2
- Example #3
- Not En Passant Example #1
- How to Write En Passant in Notation
- En Passant in Chess Openings
- En passant in real action (by young Magnus Carlsen)
- Why En Passant Exists: A Short History
- Conclusion
- En Passant FAQ
- Is en passant a real chess move?
- Does en passant only apply to pawns?
- Can you en passant a king or a queen?
- Is en passant forced?
- Does en passant have to be done immediately?
- How rare is en passant?
TL;DR:
- En passant (“in passing”) is a special pawn capture. When an enemy pawn moves two squares forward and lands directly beside one of your pawns, you may capture it as if it had moved only one square, landing on the square it skipped. You can only do this on your very next move, and only a pawn can capture (and be captured) this way.
- This rule was added centuries ago, around the time pawns were first allowed to move two squares from the start, and it became common in recorded games by the 1500s and 1800s.
- For en passant to work, your pawn has to be on the 5th rank (or 4th rank if you’re Black), the opponent must push a pawn two squares forward right next to it, and you must capture immediately on that same move – you don’t get a second chance.
- The basic mechanic is always the same: you remove the pawn that just advanced two squares and move your pawn diagonally onto the square that pawn would’ve landed on if it had only moved one square.
- The examples show typical en passant situations on different files (d5-e5, b5-c5, g5-h5 style setups), and also show what is not en passant, pushing one square doesn’t count, even if the pawns end up side by side.
- This rule isn’t just “for beginners”; it actually matters in real openings like the French and Caro-Kann, because it can instantly change the pawn structure and open or close lines.
- Strong players know this and use it in real games, even Magnus Carlsen allowed and faced en passant captures in serious tournament play – so you should both know how to execute it and when it’s good to allow it.
En Passant Origins
The original version of chess did not involve the pawns going two squares forward. Instead, the pawns could only advance two squares after 1300s. En passant’s origins are unknown. However, it is thought that it was introduced at a similar time as the mentioned new rule. It was widely used around the world in the 1500s. Many records show that it was used all over Europe in the 1800s.
How does En Passant Work?
This special move works once White has a pawn on the 5th rank (also, symmetrically, 4th Rank for Black). If Black plays a pawn move two squares forward and it lands adjacent to that pawn, White can take the adjacent pawn and move their pawn one square diagonally to the square where the opponent’s pawn would have landed if they moved only one square forward. It has to be done in the first turn. The next turn will not allow en passant.
En Passant Rules
1) En passant is not a mandatory move. The player doesn’t have to make it if they don’t want to.
2) It can only work for White if they have a pawn on the 5th rank. Similarly, it can only work for Black if they have a pawn on the 4th rank.
3) It is not legal to apply in the next turn if the chance of taking en passant is passed.
4) For it to work, the opponent has to play a pawn two squares forward. That particular pawn has to land on the adjacent square of the pawn on the 5th rank (4th rank for Black).
5) To take en passant, the player has to capture the pawn in the adjacent square and move their pawn one square diagonally to the square where the enemy pawn would have landed if it was pushed only one square.
The Three Conditions for En Passant
En passant is only legal when all three of the following are true at the same time. Miss one and the capture is not allowed.
| # | Condition | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Your pawn is on the right rank | The capturing pawn must be on its 5th rank (rank 5 for White, rank 4 for Black). |
| 2 | The enemy pawn just moved two squares | The opponent’s pawn advanced two squares in one move and landed directly beside your pawn, on an adjacent file. |
| 3 | You capture immediately | The capture must be made on your very next move. Play anything else and the right is lost for good. |
If all three line up, your pawn moves diagonally onto the square the enemy pawn skipped over, and the enemy pawn is removed from the board.
En Passant Examples Step by Step
This section will show several different En Passant situations.
Example: White captures en passant
White’s pawn sits on e5. Black plays the pawn from d7 all the way to d5, slipping past it. Because that pawn moved two squares and landed beside the e5 pawn, White answers with exd6, the White pawn lands on d6, the square Black tried to skip, and the d5 pawn comes off the board.
In the example above, Black pushed the d7-pawn to d5. It landed next to White’s e5 pawn. This creates an en passant chance for White. If the pushed pawn was the f-pawn (f7 to f5), White could also have an En Passant opportunity. If taking is intended, first the d5-pawn should be removed from the board. Then, the e5-pawn should be placed on d6. It is also notated as ‘exd6’ (same as the pawn captures).
Example #2
The diagram above shows that the Black side pushed their b7-pawn to b5 in the last move. This creates an en passant possibility for White. White can take the b5-pawn off the board. Then, they can put the c5-pawn on b6. If White doesn’t capture en passant this move, the next move they will not be able to.
Example #3
In the third example, Black played g7-pawn to g5. This pawn push (two squares forward) allows the adjacent h5-pawn to capture En Passant. White can play hxg6 move. The next move will be too late.
Not En Passant Example #1
For passant to work, Black has to push the pawn from the 7th rank two squares forward. In this example, the Black side played the h6-pawn to h5. Even though it lands on the g5-pawn’s adjacent square, the h5 pawn cannot be taken en passant.
How to Write En Passant in Notation
En passant is recorded like any other pawn capture, using the file the pawn came from, an “x”, and the destination square, for example, exd6 or exd3. Some books add “e.p.” after the move (exd6 e.p.) to flag the special capture, but this is optional and the move is fully clear without it. Remember that the destination square is the one the enemy pawn skipped, not the square it was standing on.
En Passant in Chess Openings
En passant captures play a crucial role in the openings. By being aware of this move, players can strategically position their pieces to take advantage of any opportunities that arise. It can occur in most chess openings (such as French Defense, Caro-Kann, etc). Especially the openings where one side tries to have a pawn break. Since it immediately changes the pawn structure, it should be assessed wisely. Once there is a chance, capturing en passant is likely to be at a high level. The moves made with En Passant could be game-changing if the enemy did not plan the scene carefully. Players may deliberately provoke en passant captures in some openings to gain a positional advantage.
En passant in real action (by young Magnus Carlsen)
This position is from a real game (Sicilian Defense) played by Magnus Carlsen when he was 16. Magnus moved the b7-pawn to b5. This Queenside expansion aimed to give the White a one-time ticket. Here, Magnus’s rival took the b-pawn with En Passant (axb6).
Why En Passant Exists: A Short History
En passant only makes sense once you know how the pawn changed. For most of chess history a pawn could move just one square at a time. In the late Middle Ages, European players gave the pawn the option to advance two squares on its first move to speed the game up.
That created a loophole. A pawn could use the two-square jump to dash safely past an enemy pawn that would otherwise have captured it. En passant was introduced to close that gap: it lets the defending pawn capture as if the runaway had only moved one square. The rule was standardized in the 19th century and has been part of official play ever since. In short, en passant is not an exception bolted onto chess, it is the fix that keeps the two-square pawn move fair.
Conclusion
En passant is a unique rule in chess where one side can unusually capture the opponent’s pawn. It only works if the pawn resides at the 5th rank (for White) or the 4th rank (for Black). It is notated similarly to the typical pawn captures. New players might have a difficult time applying this rule to their game. It should be totally understood, and its existence should not be forgotten.
En Passant FAQ
Is en passant a real chess move?
Yes. En passant is a fully legal, official rule recognized by FIDE and every standard rulebook. It is not a glitch or a house rule, even though it often catches players off guard.
Does en passant only apply to pawns?
Yes. Only a pawn can capture en passant, and only a pawn can be captured this way. No other piece is involved.
Can you en passant a king or a queen?
No. Kings and queens are not pawns, so they can never be captured en passant, and they can never perform the capture either.
Is en passant forced?
No. En passant is always optional. The only time it feels “forced” is when capturing happens to be your single best or only legal move in that position.
Does en passant have to be done immediately?
Yes. You must capture on the move right after the enemy pawn makes its two-square jump. If you play any other move first, you permanently lose the chance to take that pawn en passant.
How rare is en passant?
It comes up far less often than normal captures, since it needs a very specific pawn formation. Many casual players go a long time without seeing one, which is exactly why knowing the rule gives you an edge.
