En Passant in Chess is a pawn move where if a pawn moves two squares and ends up in a square next to another pawn, he can be captured by the opponent’s pawn. The opposing pawn does this, not by moving into the square of the captured pawn, but one square behind it. Of all the moves in chess, this one is probably the most confusing. It is certainly hard to describe, so I am placing an image to help explain.
- En Passant Move
The reason the en passant rule was developed was because originally pawns could only move one square. When they were given the power to move two squares (in order to speed up the game) it was thought that this new power should be equalized.
I was playing against the computer the other day and I thought how similar this is to real life. That is the opportunity to make a move en passant, or in passing. It seems opportunities are fleeting things. They do not last forever. But at the same time, just because you have the option to do something does not mean that you should. I have noticed that most of the time good players (as well as the computer) seldom take advantage of the en passant rule. This is likely because the opponent has taken the possibility into consideration already, and provided for it.
All things being equal, I will usually take an en passant move, if only because it is fun to make an seldom used move. (Unlike castling, which happens all the time.) The only problem is, it is seldom that all things are equal. In the end, en passant is merely another tool in the little bag of the chess player, and one more little trap to be wary of against a strong opponent. In life, I find, it is also wise to scrutinize opportunities closely!
