En Passant Quiz: Chess's Strangest Pawn Capture Explained
A pawn races two squares forward to slip past an enemy pawn, but the rules let it be caught anyway, and this en passant quiz explains how. Play 10 interactive questions on the two-square move, the fifth rank, capturing as if it moved one square, the now-or-never rule, notation, history, rare checks, puzzles and why the rule exists.
Start En Passant Quiz
🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 150 Seconds
Meaning
What does en passant mean in French?
Trigger
When can en passant happen?
Capture
Where does the capturing pawn move?
Unique
Why is en passant unique among captures?
Timing
When must en passant be played?
Rank
On which rank must the capturing pawn stand?
History
Why was en passant introduced?
Notation
How is en passant often marked in notation?
Pieces
Which pieces can capture en passant?
Legal
Can an en passant capture ever be illegal?
Your score
0/10
Scroll down to see the explanation for each question.
Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions
- Q1: What does en passant mean in French?
Answer: In passing
It describes catching a pawn as it passes.
- Q2: When can en passant happen?
Answer: After a pawn moves two squares and lands beside an enemy pawn
The pawn must have skipped a square.
- Q3: Where does the capturing pawn move?
Answer: To the square the enemy pawn skipped
It captures diagonally.
- Q4: Why is en passant unique among captures?
Answer: The capturing piece lands on a different square from the captured piece
The captured pawn is removed from beside it.
- Q5: When must en passant be played?
Answer: Immediately on the very next move
Otherwise the chance is lost.
- Q6: On which rank must the capturing pawn stand?
Answer: Its fifth rank
For White, that is the fifth row.
- Q7: Why was en passant introduced?
Answer: To balance the new two-square pawn move
It appeared around the 15th century.
- Q8: How is en passant often marked in notation?
Answer: e.p.
It follows the move.
- Q9: Which pieces can capture en passant?
Answer: Only pawns
And only other pawns can be captured.
- Q10: Can an en passant capture ever be illegal?
Answer: Yes, if it would expose your own king to check
Normal check rules still apply.
En Passant Quiz – Chess's Strangest Pawn Capture Explained
En passant, French for in passing, is a special pawn capture. When a pawn moves two squares from its starting position and lands beside an enemy pawn on that pawn's fifth rank, the enemy pawn may capture it as if it had moved only one square.
The capturing pawn moves diagonally to the square the other pawn skipped, and the captured pawn is removed, making it the only capture where the capturing piece does not land on the captured piece's square. It must be played immediately on the next move.
The rule was introduced around the 15th century to balance the new two-square pawn move. It is noted as e.p., applies only to pawns and, like any move, is illegal if it would leave your own king in check.
What This Quiz Teaches
Chess players will enjoy these questions.
- What en passant means
- When it is allowed
- How the capture works
- Why it exists
- Which rules still apply
Did You Know?
- Beginners often think en passant is a myth.
- The rule became an internet meme.
- It occasionally decides tournament games.
- Computer engines track it automatically.
- Puzzle composers love en passant tricks.
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