En passant is a French phrase meaning in passing. It lets a pawn capture an enemy pawn that has just advanced two squares and landed right beside it, as if that pawn had moved only one square. The chance lasts for one move only, so use it right away or lose the option. This guide covers the rule, the reasons behind it, a physical walkthrough, realistic situations and the mistakes that trip up newer players.
Why the Rule Exists
A pawn may move two squares from its home rank. Without this rule, a pawn could dash past an enemy pawn that would have captured it had it moved a single square. En passant keeps the two-square move from being a loophole. The rule is part of the official laws of chess, so it applies in club games, tournaments and online play alike.
All the Conditions
- Your capturing pawn stands on its fifth rank (the fifth rank counting from your own side).
- An enemy pawn leaves its home square and moves two squares forward, landing directly beside your pawn.
- You capture on your very next turn. Wait a move and the right is gone.
- Your pawn moves diagonally to the square the enemy pawn skipped over, and the enemy pawn is removed from the board.
A Worked Example
Suppose White has a pawn on e5. Black plays the pawn from d7 to d5. That pawn now sits next to White’s pawn, having passed over d6. White may capture by moving the e5 pawn diagonally to d6, and the black pawn on d5 is taken off the board. If White plays a different move first, the capture is no longer available.
What It Is Not
- Only pawns can capture this way, and only pawns can be captured this way.
- A pawn that moved one square at a time cannot be taken en passant.
- It is never forced. You may decline the capture.
- The capturing pawn finishes on an empty square, which is unusual for a capture.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who can use it? | Any pawn on its fifth rank |
| Which pawn is captured? | One that just moved two squares |
| How long is the chance? | One move only |
| Where does my pawn land? | On the skipped square |
Spotting the Chance
Whenever your opponent moves a pawn two squares, stop and look at the squares on either side of where it landed. If one of your pawns is there, ask whether capturing is good for you. Sometimes it opens a file for your rook or removes a defender. Sometimes it is wiser to decline and keep your structure intact.
Players also use the rule to defend. If you push a pawn two squares past an enemy pawn, remember that the enemy may take you en passant, so count that possibility before you push.
Step-by-Step on a Physical Board
Doing the capture correctly with real pieces is a little different from an ordinary capture, because your pawn does not land where the captured pawn stands.
- Confirm that the enemy pawn made a two-square move on the previous turn. If you did not see it, ask your opponent or an arbiter rather than guessing.
- Check that your pawn is directly beside it, on the same rank and an adjacent file.
- Lift the enemy pawn off the board and set it aside with the other captured pieces.
- Take your own pawn and place it on the square the enemy pawn jumped over, which is one rank closer to your opponent than your pawn stood.
- Press your clock if you are using one. The move counts as complete once your hand leaves the pawn.
- Say the move aloud or write it in your score sheet, adding e.p. if you like.
Common Scenarios
Opening skirmish
White has pushed a pawn to e5 and Black answers with d7 to d5. White can take on d6 right away, which opens lines toward Black’s camp. If White would rather keep the tension, a different developing move is fine, but the option disappears.
Both sides have a chance
A pawn that jumps two squares can land between two enemy pawns. Either of them may capture, but only one capture happens, and it must be made at once.
Declining on purpose
Sometimes capturing drags your pawn off a strong file or exposes your own king. In that case you ignore the chance and play a stronger move. Nothing is lost by declining except the capture itself.
Capturing to escape check
If the pawn that just advanced gives check, taking it en passant is a legal way to remove the attacker. This is easy to overlook because the capturing pawn lands on a different square.
A hidden pin along the rank
The capture removes two pawns from the same rank at once. If your king stands on that rank and an enemy rook or queen sits on the other side, the capture could expose your king, which makes it illegal. This is rare but worth knowing.
Mistakes to Avoid
| Mistake | Why it goes wrong |
|---|---|
| Waiting a move to capture | The right expires after one turn, so the capture is simply illegal later |
| Using it with a pawn on the wrong rank | Only a pawn on its fifth rank is beside a pawn that has made a two-square jump |
| Capturing a pawn that moved one square twice | Only a single two-square move creates the chance |
| Placing your pawn on the captured pawn’s square | Your pawn must land on the skipped square, not where the enemy pawn stood |
| Forgetting your own king’s safety | The capture is illegal if it leaves your king in check |
Quick Troubleshooting
- If a dispute arises about whether the opponent’s pawn moved two squares, a player may stop the clock and ask the arbiter in a tournament. At home, agree on the last move before continuing.
- If you captured the wrong way, for example landing on the old square, the move should be corrected to the legal version if it is noticed straight away.
- If a computer interface will not allow the capture, check whether the opponent’s last move was truly a two-square pawn advance and whether the capture would expose your king.
Terms Worth Knowing
- Rank
- A horizontal row of the board, numbered 1 to 8.
- File
- A vertical column of the board, lettered a to h.
- Home square
- The square a pawn occupies at the opening of the game, on the second rank for White and the seventh for Black.
- Skipped square
- The square a pawn jumps over when it advances two squares.
- Declining
- Choosing not to make an optional capture.
- Score sheet
- The paper record of every move, used for tournament play and study of games later.
FAQ
Can en passant get me out of check?
Yes. If the pawn that just moved two squares is giving check, capturing it en passant is a legal reply. It is one of the few times a pawn capture lands on an empty square to solve a problem.
How is it written down?
Write the capture as a normal pawn capture, such as exd6, and many scorers add e.p. afterwards. The destination is the skipped square, not the square of the captured pawn.
Does it work for both colours?
Yes. White captures from the fifth rank toward the sixth, and Black captures from the fourth rank toward the third, because each side counts from its own edge.
Can I use it later if I change my mind?
No. The chance exists only on the move straight after the two-square advance. Once you play something else, that particular pawn can no longer be taken this way.
Can a knight or bishop capture en passant?
No. The rule belongs to pawns only, on both sides of the capture. No other piece can use it or be taken by it.
Is it a special move I must announce?
No announcement is required. Simply make the capture on the board. In a dispute, the arbiter or both players can check the previous move.
The Short Version
If an enemy pawn leaps two squares and lands next to your pawn on the fifth rank, you may take it on the skipped square, but only immediately. It is optional and applies to pawns alone. Check your own king before you capture, and place your pawn on the skipped square.