En passant in chess
How to play chess
What is en passant in chess?
En passant is French for "in passing". It is a special pawn capture that surprises many beginners. It happens when an enemy pawn moves two squares forward and lands right beside your pawn: you may capture it as if it had moved only one square.
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The green dots show where the piece can go; a green frame is a capture.
The rules
- Your pawn must be on its fifth row (counting from your side).
- The enemy pawn must jump two squares from its starting square and land next to your pawn.
- You capture it by moving diagonally to the square it jumped over (the dot in the diagram).
- You must do it immediately, on the very next move. If you wait, the chance is gone.
Common mistakes
- Waiting a move before capturing. It is only possible straight away.
- Thinking it works with any piece. Only pawns can capture en passant.
Remember
Capture the pawn that jumped past you, but only on the next move.