The En Passant Rule Explained
The most surprising capture in chess - and the one rule most beginners miss.
Published 2026-02-01 | Last verified 2026-02-12
Professor Archer says: I remember the first time someone captured my pawn en passant. I thought they were cheating. I stared at the board, convinced something illegal had just happened. It took a patient opponent and a rulebook to convince me otherwise. That moment taught me an important lesson: in chess, there is always something new to discover, even in the most basic rules.
What Is En Passant?
En passant is a special pawn capture that can only occur under very specific circumstances. The name comes from French and means "in passing." It allows a pawn to capture an opposing pawn that has just moved two squares forward from its starting position, as if that pawn had only moved one square.
Here is the scenario: your pawn is on the fifth rank (or the fourth rank if you are Black). Your opponent advances a pawn two squares from its starting position, landing it right next to your pawn. On your very next move - and only on that next move - you may capture the opponent's pawn by moving diagonally to the square it passed through.
The captured pawn is removed from the board even though your pawn did not land on the square the captured pawn occupied. This is what makes en passant so confusing for newcomers. It looks like your pawn captured thin air, but it actually captured the pawn that tried to slip past.
En Passant in Action
In this position, White's pawn on e5 is ready to execute an en passant capture. Black has just advanced the d-pawn two squares from d7 to d5, placing it directly beside White's pawn. White can now capture en passant by moving the pawn from e5 to d6, removing the black pawn on d5 from the board.
Notice that White's pawn moves diagonally to d6, the square that the black pawn passed through. The black pawn on d5 is removed. If White does not capture en passant on the very next move, the right to do so is permanently lost for that particular pawn advance.
White's e5 pawn can capture the d5 pawn en passant by moving to d6.
Three Conditions for En Passant
- Your pawn must be on the fifth rank - For White, this means your pawn must be on the 5th rank. For Black, your pawn must be on the 4th rank. If your pawn is on any other rank, en passant is not possible regardless of what the opponent does.
- The opponent's pawn must advance two squares - The opposing pawn must move two squares forward from its starting position on a single turn. If the pawn advanced one square at a time over two separate moves, en passant does not apply. The two-square advance is the trigger.
- You must capture immediately - The en passant capture must be made on the very next move after the opponent's two-square advance. If you play any other move first, you forfeit the right to capture en passant for that specific pawn advance. This "now or never" condition is what makes the rule so easy to overlook.
Why Does En Passant Exist?
En passant was introduced in the 15th century when the rules of chess were updated to allow pawns to move two squares on their first move. This new rule sped up the opening phase of the game, which was a welcome change.
However, the two-square advance created a problem. Before this rule, a pawn on the fifth rank could always intercept an advancing enemy pawn. With the two-square option, a pawn could now "sneak past" an opposing pawn that had advanced deep into enemy territory. En passant was created to preserve the original blocking dynamic.
In practical play, en passant comes up more often than you might expect. It is particularly important in endgames where pawn structure matters, and in tactical sequences where the en passant capture opens a file or creates a passed pawn. Strong players always keep en passant in the back of their minds.
Common Questions About En Passant
Can en passant deliver checkmate?
Yes, although it is extremely rare. If capturing en passant opens a line to the enemy king or removes a key defender, it can indeed result in checkmate. These positions are unusual but perfectly legal.
Is en passant mandatory?
No. En passant is always optional. You are never forced to capture en passant. However, if you choose not to do it on the move immediately following the opponent's two-square advance, you lose the right to make that particular en passant capture.
Can en passant happen on the first move of the game?
No. En passant requires your pawn to already be on the fifth rank (or fourth rank for Black). Since pawns start on the second rank, it takes several moves for your pawn to reach the required position.
Can you capture en passant with a piece other than a pawn?
No. En passant is exclusively a pawn capture. No other piece can perform this special move. It is a rule that applies only to pawn interactions.
Professor Archer says: En passant is not just a quirky rule to memorise. It is a reminder that chess was designed by thoughtful people who anticipated how the game would be exploited. The two-square pawn advance was added for speed, and en passant was the patch that kept pawns honest. Understanding the why behind the rule helps you remember the how.
Quick Quiz
White's pawn is on e5. Black just moved the f-pawn from f7 to f5. What happens if White captures en passant?
- White's pawn moves to f6, and Black's pawn on f5 is removed (Correct) - Correct. The en passant capture moves the capturing pawn to the square the opponent's pawn passed through (f6), and the pawn on f5 is removed from the board.
- White's pawn moves to f5, replacing Black's pawn - This describes a normal capture, not en passant. In en passant, the capturing pawn moves to the square behind the captured pawn, not onto it.
- White cannot capture because the pawns are not on the same square - En passant is specifically designed for this situation. The capture is legal because Black's pawn advanced two squares and landed beside White's pawn on the fifth rank.
- White can capture en passant on any future move - En passant must be captured on the very next move. If White plays any other move first, the right to capture en passant is lost permanently.