En Passant — the chess rule everyone gets wrong
See exactly how it works with interactive boards, then check if you've been missing it in your own games.
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How It Works — Step by Step
The Critical Moment
Black has just advanced ...d7-d5 in a single move, landing beside White's pawn on e5. This triggers the en passant right — but only for this exact move.
After exd6 e.p.
White's pawn moves diagonally to d6 — and the black pawn on d5 is removed. The capturing pawn lands on d6 (the square the black pawn passed through), not on d5 where it ended up.
One Move Too Late
White played Nf3 instead of capturing. The en passant right on d6 is now gone permanently — the black pawn on d5 is safe. You must capture en passant immediately or lose the chance forever.
A Real Opening: French Advance
In the French Advance (1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5), if Black plays ...f7-f5, White has an en passant capture: exf6 e.p. This position appears regularly in real tournament games.
Find en passant in my games
Kingsights scans your real games to find positions where you missed — or fell for — en passant.
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