Expert tactic · 4 of 9
En passant
A pawn takes an enemy pawn that has just moved two squares to land beside it, as if it had moved one.
- Learn how it worksThree examples with Capra. You play each one yourself.Three examples with CapraStart the lesson
- Practise on real puzzlesPractise on puzzles80 en passant puzzles, from easy to very hard.0 of 80 solvedGo to the puzzlesGo to the puzzles
Three reasons to take en passant
The capture is legal for one move only. Take when it opens a line, wins a race or ends the game.
Opening a file
The pawn takes en passant, and the rook behind it gives check.
Winning a race
The pawn takes en passant and becomes a passed pawn beside its king.
Opening a rank
Both pawns leave the fifth rank, and the rook gives mate along it.
En passant captures in numbers
Counted from the 251 en passant captures in our puzzle library, all taken from real games- 1 in 1100
of our puzzles has an en passant capture in it.
- 44%
of them start with a pawn move.
- 57%
of them come in the endgame.
Which piece makes the first move
- Pawn44%
- Queen17%
- Bishop16%
- King10%
- Rook9%
What it wins
- Queen11%
- Rook10%
- Checkmate9%
- Bishop6%
- Knight4%
Good to know
En passant captures: common questions
What is en passant in chess?
En passant is a special pawn capture. When an enemy pawn moves two squares from its starting square and lands beside your pawn, your pawn may take it as if it had moved only one square. Your pawn ends on the square the enemy pawn passed over.
When can you take en passant?
Only on the very next move. Your pawn must be on its fifth rank, and the enemy pawn must have just moved two squares to land right beside it. If you play something else first, the chance is gone.
Is en passant forced?
No. It is a choice, like any other capture. You have to play it only when it is your one legal move.
Why does en passant exist?
It came in with the double step of the pawn. Without en passant, a pawn could use the double step to slip past an enemy pawn that was waiting to capture it.