CHESMAYNE

Midi: El Paso

 

En Passant :ep

The PA is the only mp that can carry out this manoeuvre (Level-1).   French: in passing, by the way.   A rule according to which a PA, after making the optional initial move over two cells [FMO], may be taken/captured by an adversary’s PA, which makes the capture exactly as if the initial move had been over only one square/cell.   This PA rule dates from the 15th century of the 2nd millennium.   The :ep rule was introduced to prevent a PA evading capture by being moved 2 cells forward on the first move.   A special kind of PA capturing move.   If a PA advances two cells on the first move and lands on a cell adjacent to an enemy PA, then the enemy PA can capture the advancing PA on the next move - as though the advancing PA had moved only one cell forward.   Italian: ‘passar battaglia’.   The :ep move was first used in the 15th century but not globally adopted until 1880. 

          The privilege of capturing :ep is only extended for the single move following the two square/cell advance of an enemy PA.   As with other captures, the :ep PA capture is optional (except, of course, in the rare case of no other legal move being available).   This option expires as soon as another move is played on the board.   If an :ep capture is not made as soon as the opportunity is created, then that PA may never be captured :ep again.  Only PAs may capture or be captured :ep.  The capture may only take place immediately after a two square/cell advance of the PA to be captured. Originally, this mp was only allowed to move one cell/square forward at a time.  To avoid a languid openings this mp was permitted the license of moving two cells forward on the first move (FMO) - the objective being to animate the game.   Ruy Lopez said that players of the Iberian Peninsula established the :ep rule to enhance the interest of the game by giving additional power to the PAs on their first move. 

:ep = ‘en passant’ (a PA capturing move)...................50:01

 

A-PA5 is on square/cell E05. 

B-PA5-D07/D05 [pawn moves from d7 to d5]. 

A-PA5-E05/D06 or, e5xd6 [B-PA5 is captured ‘en passant’] 

 

From: Chess Kids Home Page

En Passant in French means/translates as “In Passing”.  It occurs when a PA captures a similar PA as it passes a cell/square.  The diagrams below take you through the procedure step-by-step-by-step……. 

 

Below, :A has PA5 on Rank-05.  It is :Bs turn to move here.  :B has B-PA5 on File-D.   B-PA5 moves from cell D07 to D05 (FMO). 



Below: B-PA5 is just moving forward 2 cells/squares.  Now, :A can, if s/he chooses, capture B-PA5 with A-PA5 on the next move. 

 

Below: After moving 2 cells/squares forward B-PA5 was on cell D05.  A-PA5 moves from cell E05 to D06.   B-PA5 is captured in the process.  It’s as if B-PA5 was on cell D06!  The diagram below shows the position after :A has made the En Passant capture.  Note that A-PA5 has moved from file-E to file-D. 

 

Below: B-PA3 is on Rank-03.   A-PA7 on Rank-02 is about to exercise its ‘First Move Option’ (FMO) by moving 2 cells/squares forward. 

 

Below: A-PA7 moves from cell G02 to G04.  Now, B-PA3 has the opportunity to capture it by the En Passant rule. 

 

Below: the position after :B has played the En Passant capture rule.  You may only capture En Passant with a PA.  You can only capture an opposing PA that has just moved 2 cells/squares (FMO) by En Passant.  You are only allowed to make an En Passant capture on the next move after this 2 cell advance.  

 

Below: Remembering the En Passant rule can make the difference between losing and winning a game of chess – make sure you know the rule!   In the position below it is :A to move.  A-KI could move across the board and capture B-PA7 on cell B04.  In this position B-PA7 cannot move anywhere.  If A-PA1 moves forward 2 cells/squares then B-PA7 could capture A-PA1 by the En Passant rule.  B-PA7 would then be just 2 cells from promoting/enrobing to QU2 and winning the game. 

 


Hello Sirs,

Today, with an intention of studying openings, I logged into the Spanish section of chess-poster.

In the Lasker-Steinitz game that stands as an overview of the "Italian" game, I found the following error: 11 exf6, since the f6 square is empty and there is no piece for the white Pawn to capture.

Yet, the site is well designed; it's clear that in the visual aspect, a lot effort has been made. Keep it up.
Sincerely,
Erik de Vries


From chess-poster.com web page

Dear Erik de Vries,

We reviewed the game you mentioned in your e-mail and we found no error because Steinitz applies the legal “en passant” rule.   If you are not very used to with such rule, we’ll try to explain next.

The rule “in passant” some times called “en passant” worldwide, is a special maneuver that a player can exercise (or ignore and make another move) on his turn. 

If you (white) have a Pawn on the fifth rank as in fig. 1 and your opponent (black) moves his Pawn two squares ahead, you can capture it on your next turn as if it would  have moved one square only (fig.2).

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

 

This rule was agreed upon by past players who believed it was not fair that a player could “pass” with impunity an opponent’s Pawn on his initial position (with the option of advancing 1 or 2 squares) by moving two squares ahead.

Visit our "The Pawn" section where you’ll find a complete history about the properties and movements of the Pawn. 

Thank you
for visiting us. 
chess-poster.com 




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