En prise – piece capture in chess

En prise

Definition

En prise (pronounced “on preez”) is a French chess term meaning “in capture.” In chess usage, a piece is en prise when it can be captured on the opponent’s next move. Many players colloquially use “en prise” to mean “hanging” (unguarded and losing material), but strictly speaking a piece can be en prise even if it’s defended—what matters is that a capture is immediately available.

Related ideas you may want to explore: Hanging, Loose Piece, LPDO (“Loose Pieces Drop Off”), Blunder, Tactics, Trap, Poisoned pawn, Swindle.

Usage in chess

Players and commentators say “your bishop is en prise” when that bishop can be taken at once. In annotations, a move that leaves a piece en prise without adequate justification is often marked as a mistake “?” or a blunder “??”. Conversely, strong players sometimes intentionally leave a piece en prise as a sacrifice to open lines, lure a defender, or spring a tactical motif.

• Descriptive: “The queen on h5 is en prise to …Nxh5.”
• In plans: “White left the rook en prise to deflect the queen.”
• In training: “Always blunder-check: are any of my pieces en prise?”

Strategic and historical significance

The phrase “en prise” is a long-standing import from French into English chess vocabulary, appearing in classic annotations by Steinitz and Lasker and persisting into modern engine-assisted commentary. Understanding en prise positions underpins tactical awareness: loose pieces invite forks, pins, skewers, decoys, and deflections. John Nunn’s memorable maxim, LPDO—“Loose Pieces Drop Off”—encapsulates how en prise and loose/underdefended pieces are frequent sources of tactical swings.

While “en prise” often signals a blunder, masters from the Romantic era to modern stars (for example, Mikhail Tal and Garry Kasparov) have famously left pieces en prise as part of sound sacrifices that exploit initiative, king safety, or mating nets. In Kasparov vs. Topalov, Wijk aan Zee, 1999, multiple moments featured pieces seemingly en prise, yet tactically untouchable due to mating threats and deflections in one of the greatest attacking games ever played.

Examples

• Basic “en prise” in the opening (punishing an overextended queen):

  After 1. e4 e5 2. Qh5?! Nf6!, White’s queen on h5 is en prise to …Nxh5. Black’s last move both develops a piece and immediately threatens to capture the queen.

  
  
• “Poisoned” en prise queen in the Najdorf:

  In the Sicilian Najdorf Poisoned Pawn Variation, Black’s queen appears en prise after grabbing the b2-pawn, but precise calculation shows it can often escape.

  1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Qb6 8. Qd2 Qxb2 9. Rb1 Qa3. Here, after 9. Rb1, the queen on b2 looked en prise, yet it sidesteps with 9…Qa3, keeping dynamic balance in many main lines.

  
  
• En prise as a deliberate sacrifice (Greek Gift motif):

  In the classic attack with Bxh7+, the bishop is en prise to …Kxh7, yet White often gains decisive time and a mating attack with Ng5+, Qh5, and Qh7#. This highlights that a piece being en prise does not automatically mean a mistake—context and calculation matter.

• En prise via en passant:

  A pawn that has just advanced two squares can be en prise to an en passant capture. For example, if White has a pawn on e5 and Black advances …d7–d5, the pawn on d5 is en prise to exd6 e.p., a legal capture available immediately on the next move.

Tips to avoid leaving pieces en prise

• Perform a blunder-check before releasing your piece: “What did my last move leave en prise?”
• Track all forcing moves (checks, captures, threats) for both sides on every move.
• Harmonize your pieces—connected pieces defend each other and reduce en prise shots.
• Watch for loose pieces on open files and long diagonals; alignments invite tactics like pins, skewers, and X-rays.
• Beware of tempo-gaining threats against major pieces; an attacked queen or rook is often effectively en prise.

En prise vs. related terms

• En prise: A piece can be captured on the opponent’s next move (it may or may not be adequately defended).
• Hanging: Usually means en prise and either completely undefended or tactically losing material after the capture sequence.
• Loose piece: Poorly or not defended; often a tactical target that can become en prise after a forcing move (see LPDO).

Famous references

• Kasparov vs. Topalov, Wijk aan Zee, 1999: Multiple moments feature apparent en prise material in a cascading tactical sequence culminating in a legendary win for Kasparov.
• Tal’s attacks (various): Mikhail Tal frequently left pieces en prise as part of intuitive sacrifices, relying on rapid development and king hunts.
• Najdorf Poisoned Pawn: A canonical example where the queen seems en prise yet concrete calculation keeps it alive (see example above).

Common pitfalls and swindles

• Greed traps: Capturing an en prise piece can open files or diagonals for a counterstrike (e.g., falling into a back rank mate or a skewer).
• Deflection decoys: A defender is offered en prise; if captured, another square becomes fatally weak (classic deflection theme).
• Time trouble errors: In Zeitnot or severe time pressure, even strong players forget an en prise piece—one of the most common late-game blunders.

Interesting facts

• The term is French; older English chess literature adopted it alongside other French imports like “en passant.”
• Engines ruthlessly punish en prise oversights, often showing a sharp drop in centipawn evaluation immediately after a hanging piece is left to be captured.
• “LPDO”—Loose Pieces Drop Off—is a memorable training mantra that turns the abstract idea of en prise into a practical blunder-check habit.

Quick checklist

• Are any of my pieces currently en prise?
• If so, do I have a tactical justification (threat, check, mate, or winning combination) for allowing it?
• After recaptures, who wins the material balance on the final square?

See also

Explore related tactical motifs that often arise from en prise situations: Pin, Skewer, Fork, Decoy, Deflection, Overload, X-ray, Intermezzo. For practical defense and conversions, see Prophylaxis and Technique.

Summary

En prise means a piece can be captured immediately. It’s a foundational concept in tactical awareness and evaluation: many blunders are simply leaving material en prise without compensation. Yet strong players also weaponize the idea—offering a piece en prise to lure a capture, open lines, or force decisive threats. Learn to spot en prise pieces—yours and your opponent’s—to avoid errors and to create winning tactical opportunities.