En Passant - The Rule

The Rule

A pawn on its fifth rank may capture an enemy pawn on an adjacent file that has moved two squares in a single move, as if the pawn had moved only one square. The conditions are:

  • the capturing pawn must be on its fifth rank
  • the captured pawn must be on an adjacent file and move two squares in a single move
  • the capture is optional, but if elected must be done immediately (cannot be done on a later turn)
Example of en passant
Black to move
a b c d e f g h
8 8
7 7
6 6
5 5
4 4
3 3
2 2
1 1
a b c d e f g h
The black pawn is on its initial square. If it moves to f6 (marked by ×), the white pawn could capture it. 		White to move
a b c d e f g h
8 8
7 7
6 6
5 5
4 4
3 3
2 2
1 1
a b c d e f g h
Black moved his pawn forward two squares in a single move from f7 to f5, "passing" f6.

 Black to move
a b c d e f g h
8 8
7 7
6 6
5 5
4 4
3 3
2 2
1 1
a b c d e f g h
White captures en passant in response, capturing the pawn as if it had moved only one square to f6.

Such a move is the only occasion in chess in which a piece captures but does not move to the square of the captured piece (Burgess 2000:463).

Read more about this topic:  En Passant

Famous quotes containing the word rule:

    “Every writing career starts as a personal quest for sainthood, for self-betterment. Sooner or later, and as a rule quite soon, a man discovers that his pen accomplishes a lot more than his soul.”
    —Joseph Brodsky (b. 1940)

    “Therefore doth heaven divide
    The state of man in divers functions,
    Setting endeavor in continual motion,
    To which is fixed, as an aim or butt,
    Obedience; for so work the honeybees,
    Creatures that by a rule in nature teach
    The act of order to a peopled kingdom.”
    —William Shakespeare (1564–1616)