En passant: definition & rules
En Passant
Definition
En passant (French for “in passing”) is a special pawn-capture that can occur immediately after an opposing pawn advances two squares from its starting rank and lands beside one of your pawns. The adjacent pawn may capture the just-moved pawn as if it had only advanced one square, moving diagonally to the square the enemy pawn passed over.
The Exact Rule
- The opportunity exists only on the very next move. If you hesitate, the right to capture en passant is lost.
- The capturing pawn moves diagonally forward to the square behind the enemy pawn’s new location; the enemy pawn is removed from the board.
- Only pawns can execute or be taken en passant; no other piece is involved.
Typical Use in Play
En passant occurs far less frequently than ordinary captures, yet it is essential to keep pawn structure fair. Without the rule, a pawn could evade capture by leaping two squares past an adjacent enemy pawn. Recognising when to accept or decline an en passant capture can be a subtle strategic choice:
- Accepting may open a file, create a passed pawn, or relieve space pressure.
- Declining (by not capturing) can keep your structure intact or avoid opening lines against your own king.
Historical Background
The modern two-square pawn advance was introduced in Europe during the late 15th century to speed up play. En passant was added simultaneously to prevent the new rule from weakening the power of established pawn chains. The first clear description appears in the 1497 Spanish manuscript “Repetición de Amores y Arte de Ajedrez” by Luis Ramírez de Lucena.
Illustrative Example
White to move in the following position (pawns only shown for clarity): White pawn e5; Black pawns d7, a7, h7. Black has just played 1…d5 (d7–d5).
White’s 3. exd6 e.p. lands the pawn on d6 while removing Black’s
pawn from d5. Notice that the capture is made on the square the black
pawn passed over (d6), not the square it currently occupies (d5).
Famous Games Featuring En Passant
- Adams – Torre, New Orleans 1920 Torre used an en passant capture to open the f-file, quickly swinging his rook into play and scoring a miniature victory.
- Kasparov – Gligorić, Bugojno 1982 Kasparov declined an available en passant, choosing a more dynamic buildup that led to an attacking masterpiece—proof that “declining” can be just as instructive.
- Carlsen – Topalov, Wijk aan Zee 2012 The future World Champion calmly captured en passant on move 24, eliminating a dangerous passer before converting a rook ending.
Strategic Themes
- Opening files. Capturing en passant can open half-open files for rooks and queens, often altering the character of the position.
- Passed pawns. Sometimes the capture itself leaves you with a protected passed pawn, a long-term asset in endings.
- Tempo considerations. Because the option disappears after one move, the decision is forced and thus affects calculation order—especially in time trouble.
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- The plural in French is identical—“les en passant”—but English writers usually treat it as an uncountable noun.
- The only en passant checkmate recorded in master play is Frasier – Grant, Scotland 1888: the capture opened a discovered attack on the king that was simultaneously mate!
- Because beginners often overlook the rule, friendly games can spark lively debates; tournament directors are accustomed to quoting Article 3.7.d of the FIDE Laws of Chess to resolve the matter.
- Computer engines handle en passant flawlessly, yet early programs in the 1960s occasionally missed the rule, causing notorious bugs.
Key Takeaways
En passant is rare but fundamental. Always ask yourself, immediately after a pawn’s two-square advance: “Do I have an en passant here, and is it good for me?” Mastery of this subtle rule separates casual play from technically sound chess.