Passing capture (en passant): how this rule works

Passing capture allows a piece to capture an adjacent piece of an opponent that has just made a double jump from its starting position - as if it had only moved one square. This is the most frequently confused rule in chess, because the capturing piece does NOT stand on the dodgeball square.

In short: three conditions must occur at once. First: the opponent's piece has just jumped two squares. Second: Your pawn is right next to it, on the same line. Third: you capture IMMEDIATELY, on the immediate next move - then the law is lost forever. Try both scenarios on the board below.

Try it live

The first preset shows the position where passing capture is available - play the e5 pawn on f6. The second preset is the same situation two moves later: you will see that f6 is no longer a legal target.

Three conditions for beating in flight

1. Double jump: your opponent's piece has just moved two squares from its starting position (e.g. f7-f5) and passed the square that your piece is attacking.
2. Neighborhood: Your pawn is on the same line, on an adjacent column (e.g. the white pawn on e5 next to the black pawn on f5).
3. Natychmiast: capture may only be made in the immediately following move. One delay and the law is lost forever, even if the pieces still stand next to each other.

Why does this rule even exist?

The double pawn jump was introduced in Europe to speed up the game. However, there was a problem: the pawn could "sneak" past the opponent's pawn, avoiding the capture that would await it when moving one square. Capturing in passing restores justice - a pawn cannot bypass the controlled square with impunity. Hence the name: you hit him "in passing", while passing him.

The most common misunderstandings

• "A pawn captures an empty square?" — the capturing pawn stands on a square PASSED by the opponent (e.g. f6), and the captured pawn disappears from f5. This is the only capture in chess in which the capturing piece does not stand on the capture square.
• "Can I beat it later?" - NO. The law exists only through one movement. This is the most common mistake even for experienced amateurs.
• "Can a piece also beat in passing?" — no, the rule applies only to pawns capturing pawns.

How to write it down and how often it happens

In notation, a passing capture is written like an ordinary pawn capture - e.g. exf6 - sometimes with the note "e.p." for clarity. In practice, the opportunity appears less than once per game, but it hangs over every double jump of a pawn next to the opponent's pawn - so before such a jump, it is always worth checking whether you are not giving up a pawn "in passing". Engine in party analysis will catch every missed opportunity of this type.

Passing capture is one of three special rules - the other two are roszada and promotion of the division. All three in brief, along with the full set of rules, can be found on the website rules of chess, and systematic learning from scratch in free course.

The course works offline after your first online visit on this device. Application installation is not required.