View source for En passant

{{Short description|Special pawn move in chess}}
{{About|the move in chess}}
{{Italic title}}
{{good article}}
[[File:Ajedrez captura al paso del peon.png|right]]

In [[chess]], '''''en passant''''' ({{IPA|fr|ɑ̃ pasɑ̃|lang}}, {{lit.}} "in passing") describes the capture by a [[Pawn (chess)|pawn]] of an enemy pawn on the same {{chessgloss|rank}} and an adjacent {{chessgloss|file}} that has just made an initial two-square advance.{{refn|Article 3.7.4.1 in the FIDE Laws of Chess<ref name="FideLawsOfChess">{{Cite web|title=FIDE Laws of Chess taking effect from 1 January 2018|url=https://handbook.fide.com/chapter/E012018|access-date=6 June 2022|website=FIDE|archive-date=23 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123232854/https://handbook.fide.com/chapter/E012018|url-status=live}}</ref>}}<ref name="Brace">{{citation |last=Brace |first=Edward  <!-- not [[Edward Brace]] --> |year=1977 |title=An Illustrated Dictionary of Chess |contribution=en passant |location=Secaucus, N.J |publisher=Craftwell |isbn= 1-55521-394-4 }}</ref> This is a special case in the rules of chess. The capturing pawn moves to the square that the enemy pawn passed over, as if the enemy pawn had advanced only one square. The rule ensures that a pawn cannot use its two-square move to safely skip past an enemy pawn.

Capturing ''en passant'' is permitted only on the turn immediately after the two-square advance; it cannot be done on a later turn.{{refn|Article 3.7.4.2 in FIDE Laws of Chess<ref name="FideLawsOfChess"></ref>}} The capturing move is sometimes [[Chess notation|notated]] by appending the abbreviation '''e.p.'''
{{AN chess|pos=toc}}

==Rules==
[[File:Ajedrez animación en passant.gif|thumb|Animation of an ''en passant'' capture]]
The conditions for a pawn to capture an enemy pawn ''en passant'' are as follows:

* the enemy pawn [[Rules of chess#Basic moves|advanced two squares]] on the previous turn;
* the capturing pawn attacks the square that the enemy pawn passed over. 
If these conditions are met, the capturing pawn can move diagonally forward to the square that the enemy pawn passed, capturing the enemy pawn as if it had moved only one square. If the right to capture ''en passant'' is not exercised immediately, it is lost. Making the capture is optional, unless there is no other legal move.  
{| align="center" 
|-valign="top" 
|+ '''Example of an ''en passant'' capture'''
|
{{col-begin|width=auto; float:center; clear:center}}	
{{col-break}}
{{Chess diagram small
| tleft
| Black to move
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |pd|  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |xx|  |  
|  |  |  |  |pl|  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| The black pawn is on its initial square. If it moves to f6 (marked by ×), the white pawn can capture it.
}}
{{col-break}}
{{Chess diagram small
| tleft
| White to move
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |xx|  |  
|  |  |  |  |pl|pd|  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Black moves their pawn forward two squares in a single move from f7 to f5, "passing" f6.
}}
{{col-break}}
{{Chess diagram small
| tleft
| Black to move
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |pl|  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| White captures the black pawn ''en passant'', as if it had moved only one square to f6.
}}
{{col-end}}
|}

Only pawns may capture or be captured ''en passant''.<ref name="whyldweekend">{{cite book |last=Whyld |first=Kenneth |author-link=Ken Whyld |title=Learn Chess in a Weekend |year=1993 |publisher=Knopf/DK |page=39 |isbn=9780679422297}}</ref> The ''en passant'' capture is the only capturing move in chess where the capturing piece moves to a square not occupied by the captured piece.<ref name="Burgess">{{citation |last=Burgess |first=Graham |author-link = Graham Burgess |title=The Mammoth Book of Chess |location=New York |publisher=Carroll & Graf |year=2000 |edition=2nd |isbn=978-0-7867-0725-6 }}
</ref>{{rp|463}}

Because many casual players are unfamiliar with or misunderstand the ''en passant'' rule, administrators on internet chess sites frequently receive erroneous complaints of bugs, cheating or hacking.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Allebest |first=Erik |date=2018-06-20 |title='His Pawn Cheated And Killed My Pawn!' |url=https://www.chess.com/article/view/his-pawn-cheated-and-killed-my-pawn |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=Chess.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Notation==
In [[Algebraic notation (chess)|algebraic notation]], an ''en passant'' capture is notated using the capturing pawn's destination square. In both algebraic and [[descriptive notation]], the move may optionally be denoted by appending "e.p." or similar. For example, in algebraic notation, bxa3 or bxa3 e.p. may be used to represent a black pawn on b4 capturing a white pawn on a4 ''en passant''.<ref name="Golombek" />{{rp|216}}

==Examples==
{{Chess diagram  
| tright
|
|rd|nd|bd|qd|kd|bd|  |rd
|pd|pd|pd|xo|  |pd|pd|pd
|  |  |  |xx|  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |pd|pl|  |  |  
|  |  |  |ql|nd|  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |nl|  |  
|pl|pl|pl|  |  |pl|pl|pl
|rl|nl|bl|  |kl|bl|  |rl
| Black just played 5...d7-d5. White's e5-pawn can capture ''en passant''.
}}
Some [[chess opening]]s feature the ''en passant'' capture. In the following line from [[Petrov's Defence]], White captures the pawn on d5 ''en passant'' on move 6:

:'''1. e4 e5'''
:'''2. Nf3 Nf6'''
:'''3. d4 exd4'''
:'''4. e5 Ne4'''
:'''5. Qxd4 d5''' (see diagram)
:'''6. exd6 e.p.'''<ref name="Hooper" />{{rp|124–125}}
{{clear}}

{{Chess diagram   
| tright
| 
|rd|nd|bd|qd|kd|bd|nd|rd
|pd|pd|pd|  |  |pd|pd|pd
|  |  |  |pl|pd|  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|pl|pl|pl|pl|  |pl|pl|pl
|rl|nl|bl|ql|kl|bl|nl|rl
| Position after 3.exd6 e.p.
}}
An ''en passant'' capture can occur as early as move 3. For example, in the [[French Defence]] after 1.e4 e6 2.e5 d5, White can play 3.exd6&nbsp;e.p. ({{em|diagram}}). This has occurred in play, for example in the game [[Wilhelm Steinitz|Steinitz]]–[[Bernhard Fleissig|Fleissig]], Vienna 1882.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1001589 |title=Steinitz vs. Fleissig, Vienna 1882 |website=[[Chessgames.com]] |access-date=2016-04-26 |archive-date=2016-06-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160602115335/http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1001589 |url-status=live }}</ref>
{{clear}}

{{Chess diagram 
| tright
| An example of overlooking <br />an ''en passant'' capture
|  |  |  |  |  |bl|  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |pd|  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |rl|pl|  |kd  
|  |  |  |  |pd|kl|  |nl
|  |  |  |  |  |  |pl|  
|  |  |  |  |qd|pl|  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Black to move. Here 1...g5+{{chesspunc|?}} loses to an ''en passant'' capture checkmate.
}}

In the diagram, the move 1...g5+ may seem to [[checkmate]] White, but it is in fact a [[Blunder (chess)|blunder]]: White can (and in fact must) counter this check with the ''en passant'' capture 2.fxg6 e.p.{{chessAN|#}}, which [[Cross-check (chess)|cross-check]]s and checkmates Black. (Black can draw in the diagrammed position by playing 1...Qxf2+.)
{{clear}}

{| align="right" 
|-valign="top" 
|+ Gundersen vs. Faul, 1928
|
{{col-begin|width=auto; float:right; clear:right}}	
{{col-break}}
{{Chess diagram small
| tright
|
|rd|  |bd|qd|  |rd|  |  
|pd|pd|  |  |nd|  |pd|  
|  |  |  |  |pd|  |kd|  
|  |  |  |pd|pl|pd|nl|  
|  |bd|  |nd|  |  |ql|pl
|  |  |nl|  |  |  |  |  
|pl|pl|  |  |  |pl|pl|  
|rl|  |bl|  |kl|  |  |rl
| Position after 12...f7-f5
}}
{{col-break}}
{{Chess diagram small
| tright
|
|rd|  |bd|qd|  |rd|  |  
|pd|pd|  |  |nd|  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |nl|  |  |kd
|  |  |  |pd|pl|pd|pd|pl
|  |bd|  |nd|  |  |ql|  
|  |  |nl|  |  |  |  |  
|pl|pl|  |  |  |pl|pl|  
|rl|  |bl|  |kl|  |  |rl
| After 14...g7-g5, White mates by capturing the pawn ''en&nbsp;passant''.
}}
{{col-end}}
|}
In a game between [[Gunnar Gundersen (chess player)|Gunnar Gundersen]] and Albert H. Faul,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1242924 |title=Gundersen vs. Faul, Melbourne 1928 |website=[[Chessgames.com]] |access-date=2009-06-12 |archive-date=2010-12-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101209050750/http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1242924 |url-status=live }}</ref> Black played 12...f7-f5. White could have captured the black f-pawn ''en&nbsp;passant'' with his e-pawn, but he instead played:
:'''13. h5+ Kh6 14. Nxe6+''' 
The bishop on c1 effects a [[discovered check]]. 14...Kh7 results in 15.Qxg7#.
:'''14... g5 15. hxg6 e.p.#'''
The ''en passant'' capture places Black in [[double check]] and [[checkmate]] (in fact, White's bishop is not necessary for the mate). An ''en passant'' capture is the only way a double check can be delivered without one of the checking pieces moving, as in this case.

The largest known number of ''en passant'' captures in one game is three. This record is shared by three games; in none of them were all three captures by the same player. The earliest known example is a 1980 game between [[Alexandru Segal]] and Karl-Heinz Podzielny.<ref name="Winter" />{{rp|98–99}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.365chess.com/search_result.php?wlname=Segal&wname=&open=&blname=Podzielny&bname=&eco=&yeari=&yeare=&sply=1&ply=&res=&submit_search=Search+Chess+Games |title=A. Segal vs. K. Podzielny, Dortmund 1980 |website=365Chess.com |access-date=2009-12-05 |archive-date=2021-02-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210217173948/https://www.365chess.com/search_result.php?wlname=Segal&wname=&open=&blname=Podzielny&bname=&eco=&yeari=&yeare=&sply=1&ply=&res=&submit_search=Search+Chess+Games |url-status=live }}</ref>
{{clear}}

==History==
In early versions of chess, the pawn could not advance two squares on its first move. The two-square advance was introduced later, between the 13th and 16th centuries, to speed up games.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-06-03 |title=The Evolution of Modern Chess Rules: En Passant |url=https://new.uschess.org/news/evolution-modern-chess-rules-en-passant |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=US Chess.org |language=en}}</ref> The ''en passant'' capture may have been introduced at that time, or it may have come later; references to ''en passant'' captures appear in the books by the 16th-century Spanish chess master [[Ruy López de Segura]].<ref>{{cite book
 |last=Murray |first=H. J. R.|author-link=H. J. R. Murray
 |year=2012
 |orig-year=1913
 |title=[[A History of Chess]] 
 |page=815
 |publisher=Skyhorse
 |isbn= 978-1-62087-062-4}}</ref>

The ''en passant'' capture was one of the last major additions to European chess.{{efn|Other relatively recent rule changes include the addition of [[castling]], alterations to the abilities of the [[queen (chess)|queen]] and [[bishop (chess)|bishop]]<ref name="Davidson">{{citation 
 | last=Davidson
 | first=Henry
 | year=1949
 | title=A Short History of Chess
 | publisher=McKay
 | edition=1981 paperback 
 | isbn= 0-679-14550-8}}</ref>{{rp|14,16,57}} (Spanish [[chess master|master]] [[Ruy López de Segura]] gives the rule in his 1561 book ''[[Libro de la invencion liberal y arte del juego del axedrez]]''<ref name="Golombek">{{citation
 | last=Golombek | first=Harry |author-link=Harry Golombek
 | year=1977
 | title=Golombek's Encyclopedia of Chess
 | contribution=en passant, capture
 | publisher=Crown Publishing
 | isbn=0-517-53146-1}}
</ref>{{rp|108}}), and alterations to [[Promotion (chess)|promotion]].}}<ref name="Davidson"/>{{rp|16}} In some parts of Europe, particularly in Italy, there was no such rule; this was known as ''passar battaglia''. In 1880, Italy adopted the rules used by the rest of the world, including the ''en passant'' capture, in preparation for the 1881 Milan tournament.<ref name="Hooper">Hooper & Whyld (1996), pp. 124–25. ''en passant''.</ref>{{rp|124–125}}

==Draw by repetition and stalemate==
In the context of [[Threefold repetition|threefold and fivefold repetition]], two positions are considered different if the opportunity to perform a given ''en passant'' capture exists in one position but not the other.<ref name="Schiller">{{Citation
|last=Schiller|first=Eric|author-link=Eric Schiller
|year=2003
|title=Official Rules of Chess
|edition=2nd
|publisher=Cardoza
|isbn= 978-1-58042-092-1 }}
</ref>{{rp|27}}

When a player is not in check, and capturing ''en passant'' is the only legal move, the player may not claim a draw by [[stalemate]]. In his book on chess organization and rules, [[Arbiter (chess)#International Arbiter|International Arbiter]] [[Kenneth Harkness]] wrote that people frequently asked if this is the case.<ref name="Harkness">{{citation
 | last=Harkness|first=Kenneth|author-link=Kenneth Harkness
 | title=Official Chess Handbook
 | year=1967
 | publisher=McKay
 | isbn= 1-114-15703-1}}
</ref>{{rp|49}} Chess players debated this point in the 19th century, with some arguing that the right to capture ''en&nbsp;passant'' is a "privilege" that one cannot be compelled to exercise. In his 1860 book ''Chess Praxis'', [[Howard Staunton]] wrote that the ''en passant'' capture is mandatory in such a position; the [[rules of chess]] were amended to make this clear.<ref name="Winter">{{cite web
| last=Winter
| first=Edward
| author-link=Edward Winter (chess historian)
| year=1999
| url=http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/stalemate.html
| title=Stalemate
| website=Chesshistory.com
| access-date=2009-06-12
| archive-date=2019-12-17
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217032457/http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/stalemate.html
| url-status=live
}}</ref><ref name="Harkness" />{{rp|49}}

==Chess problems==
The ''en passant'' capture is often used as a theme in [[chess problem]]s. According to Kenneth S. Howard, "En passant pawn captures frequently produce striking effects in the opening and closing of lines, both for white and black."<ref name="Howard">{{citation |last=Howard |first=Kenneth S. |year=1961 |title=How to Solve Chess Problems |edition=2nd |publisher=Dover |isbn=978-0-486-20748-3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TAr0VrN-G3MC&q=%22en+passant%22+chess&pg=PA106 |access-date=2009-11-30 |archive-date=2023-04-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406050809/https://books.google.com/books?id=TAr0VrN-G3MC&q=%22en+passant%22+chess&pg=PA106 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{rp|106}} By [[retrograde analysis]] convention, a pawn may be captured ''en passant'' only if it can be proven to have advanced two squares on the previous move.

{{Chess diagram  
| tright
| Kenneth S. Howard, 1938
|bl|  |  |  |  |nd|  |  
|  |  |  |pd|pd|pd|  |  
|  |nl|pd|  |kd|  |  |nl
|  |  |pl|  |pl|  |  |  
|  |  |pd|  |pd|  |  |pd
|  |  |  |  |  |  |bl|  
|  |  |  |pl|  |pl|  |  
|ql|  |  |  |rl|  |kl|
| White to play and mate in three 
}}
In the diagrammed 1938 composition by Howard, the {{chessprobgloss|key}} 
:'''1. d4{{chesspunc|!}}''' 
introduces the threat 2.d5+ cxd5 3.Bxd5#. Black can capture the d4-pawn ''en passant'' in either of two ways:
:'''1... exd3 e.p.''' 
shifting the e4-pawn from the e- to the d-file, preventing an ''en passant'' capture after White plays 2.f4. To stop the threat of 3.f5#, Black can advance 2...f5, but this allows White to play 3.exf6 e.p.# due to the decisive opening of the {{nowrap|e-file}}.

Or Black can play
:'''1... cxd3 e.p.'''
and now White exploits the newly opened a2–g8 diagonal with 2.Qa2+ d5 3.cxd6 e.p.#.
{{clear}}

{{Chess diagram  
| tright
| O. Sommerfeldt, 1902
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |bd|  |  |  |qd|  |  
|bl|  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |pd|  
|  |rl|  |  |pd|kd|pl|pd
|  |pd|  |  |  |  |  |pl
|  |ql|  |pl|  |  |kl|  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| White to play and mate in two
}}

The diagrammed composition by Sommerfeldt<ref>[http://timkr.home.xs4all.nl/chess2/diary_12.htm Open chess diary] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150318004936/http://timkr.home.xs4all.nl/chess2/diary_12.htm |date=2015-03-18 }} by Tim Krabbé – #234</ref> shows the effect of [[Pin (chess)|pins]] on ''en passant'' captures.

The key 
:'''1. d4!''' 
threatens 2.Qf2#. The moves of the black e-pawn are restricted in an unusual manner. The ''en passant'' capture 1...exd3 e.p.+ is illegal (it exposes Black’s king to check), but 
:'''1... e3+''' 
is legal. This, however, removes the black king's access to e3, allowing 
:'''2. d5#'''
{{clear}}

==Notes==
{{notelist|notes=}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

'''Bibliography'''
*{{cite book
 |last1=Hooper 
 |first1=David  
 |authorlink1=David Vincent Hooper
 |last2=Whyld 
 |first2=Kenneth 
 |authorlink2=Kenneth Whyld
 |title=[[The Oxford Companion to Chess]]
 |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]
 |year=1996
 |edition=2nd
 |orig-date=First pub. 1992
 |isbn=0-19-280049-3 }}
*{{citation
 |last1=Just|first1=Tim
 |last2=Burg|first2=Daniel B.
 |year=2003
 |title=U.S. Chess Federation's Official Rules of Chess
 |edition=5th
 |publisher=McKay
 |isbn= 0-8129-3559-4 |ref=none}}
*{{citation
 |last=Winter
 |first=Edward
 |authorlink=Edward Winter (chess historian)
 |year=2006
 |title=Chess Facts and Fables
 |publisher=McFarland
 |isbn=0-7864-2310-2 |ref=none}}

==External links==
{{wiktionary}}
* [https://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/enpassant.html En passant (Chess) by Edward Winter]
* [https://lichess.org/learn#/15 En passant Lichess lesson]

{{chess}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:En Passant}}
[[Category:Rules of chess]]
[[Category:Chess terminology]]
[[Category:15th century in chess]]

[[pl:Pion (szachy)#Bicie w przelocie]]