En passant: a practical example
With a White pawn on e5, Black's d7-d5 may permit exd6 en passant. The White pawn lands on d6 and the Black pawn is removed from d5. The capture must be made on the very next move or the opportunity disappears.
How to use the idea in your games
Check king safety before making the capture. Removing two pawns from a rank or file can expose a rook or bishop attack that makes an otherwise recognizable en passant capture illegal.
A useful study question
Can you explain en passant in your own words, identify it in a position, and describe when the idea does not apply? Test the explanation on a legal board before relying on it.
Connect the ideas
Pawn, Algebraic notation, FEN are useful next concepts. Follow the links to compare definitions and examples, then return to the complete chess glossary whenever an unfamiliar term appears.
Sources & further reading
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