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

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