By 
En Passant in One Minute
- 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.
Where the En Passant Rule Came From
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.
Pawns were only given the option to advance two squares sometime after the 1300s. Its exact origins are unclear, but it was most likely introduced around the same time as the two-square pawn move. It was widely used around the world in the 1500s. Many records show that it was used all over Europe in the 1800s.
How the Capture Works (and the 3 Things That Must Be True)
En passant works once your pawn reaches its fifth rank (the fourth rank if you are Black). If your opponent then pushes a pawn two squares forward so it lands directly beside that pawn, on an adjacent file, you may capture it as if it had moved only one square: your pawn goes diagonally onto the square the enemy pawn skipped, and the enemy pawn is removed. You have to do it on the very next move. Miss that move and the right is gone for good.
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.
Is En Passant Mandatory or Optional?
En passant is always optional. A check you have to answer; this you don’t. The rule gives you the right to capture, never the obligation. When your opponent pushes a pawn two squares past yours, you may capture en passant on your next move, or you may play something else and let the chance disappear. Beginners sometimes assume the capture is forced because it appears so briefly, but no rule of chess compels it. The only time it feels mandatory is when capturing happens to be your strongest or only sensible move in the position. So the real question is rarely “can I?” but “should I?” The capture instantly alters the pawn structure, so taking it on autopilot can hand your opponent the open file or pawn break they were hoping to provoke.
Should You Capture En Passant? Weighing the Decision
Because the capture is optional, the question is whether it actually helps you. Taking en passant changes the pawn structure at once, and the change has two sides. Capture, and you might open a file for your rook, fix a weak enemy pawn, or break open the center on your terms. Decline, and you keep a closed, solid structure that may suit your plan better. Watch the cost on your own side. Capturing can leave you with a backward pawn, doubled pawns, or a weak square in front of your position that the opponent will target for the rest of the game. Treat each en passant offer as a concrete calculation rather than a reflex. Before you commit, ask whether the resulting pawn structure favors your pieces or your opponent’s.
The One-Move Trap: The En Passant Mistake Club Players Keep Making
The most common en passant error has nothing to do with not knowing the rule. It is about timing. Because the right lasts for exactly one move, players on autopilot develop a piece or castle first, then realize a move too late that the capture is gone for good. In my own blitz games I keep seeing this below about 1400: the chance evaporates while someone plays a “natural” developing move. Higher-rated players make the opposite mistake. They allow, or even play, a two-square advance into a position where the recapture wrecks their own pawn structure. Take the French Defense Advance Variation, where Black breaks with a pawn push next to White’s advanced e-pawn. If White captures en passant, the recapture can saddle Black with a chronically backward pawn on the e-file and a hole in front of it, a long-term weakness that outweighs the temporary activity. Same rule, opposite blunders. En passant is a decision, not a habit.
En Passant Examples, Step by Step: Captures on Different Files
This section will show several different En Passant situations.
Example: White Captures En Passant in the Center (exd6)
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).
A Queenside Capture: cxb6
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.
On the H-File: hxg6
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.
When It Is NOT En Passant: A Common False Alarm
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 and the Other Special Moves: Castling and Promotion
En passant belongs to a small family of special pawn and king rules that break the ordinary movement pattern, alongside castling and pawn promotion. Castling is the only move where two of your own pieces move at once, the king and rook repositioning together for safety. Pawn promotion rewards a pawn that reaches the far rank by turning it into a queen, rook, bishop, or knight. En passant rounds out the set as the only capture where your pawn does not land on the square of the piece it removes. Each of the three was added to keep the game moving rather than to clutter it, and each tends to surprise newcomers precisely because it is an exception. Know all three and you have the full picture of how pawns and the king act outside their normal rules.
En Passant in Chess Openings
En passant captures can play an important role in the opening. 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. When the chance appears, the decision of whether to capture often hinges on the resulting pawn structure. An en passant capture can swing the game if your opponent advanced the pawn without weighing the consequences. Players may deliberately provoke en passant captures in some openings to gain a positional advantage.
En Passant in Real Action: the Carlsen Game Where It Decided the Queenside
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 push handed White a one-move window to capture en passant. Magnus’s opponent took the pawn en passant with axb6.
Do Grandmasters Actually Use En Passant?
Yes, en passant is a normal part of top-level play, not a beginner’s curiosity. Grandmasters capture en passant whenever it improves their position, and they will provoke or decline it on purpose as part of a plan. The well-known example is Magnus Carlsen, who as a teenager pushed his b-pawn two squares forward in a Sicilian Defense and was met by an en passant capture on the queenside. Even world-class players both use the rule and walk into it. The capture turns up regularly in elite tournament games, often as part of a planned pawn break. If the world’s best players treat it as a live tactical and positional tool, it is worth understanding rather than dismissing as an obscure technicality.
FAQ's
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 plenty of players have never run into it.
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 make 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. Play any other move first and 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.
How is en passant pronounced?
It is pronounced roughly “ahn pah-SAHN.” The phrase is French and literally means “in passing,” which describes how the capture works: you take the pawn as it tries to pass yours.
Do grandmasters use en passant?
Yes. Grandmasters use en passant whenever it improves their position, and they will also provoke or decline it on purpose as a strategic choice. It appears regularly in serious tournament play, including games by Magnus Carlsen.
