What I heard was this: a few hundred years ago most chess games you could only move the pawn one. Most games started 1.e3 e6 2.e4 e5. People decided to let the pawn move two squares on its first move to speed the game up (what a bigger change it is than that though...) but then to be 'fair' you were still allowed to capture the pawn 'in passing' on that move only as if it had just moved one. (Because in the old rules if white had a pawn e.g. on e5 black would have to play d6 before d5 and then it could be captured; but once you can play it straight to d5 you avoid the 'fair' capture the pawn should have been able to make.)
Originally posted by geofftaliban Given the rarity of a worthwhile en passant move, what is its rationale? Does anyone know its origin and exactly why it exists?
It exists because originally pawns were only allowed to move one square on their opening move. But when the new rule of moving 2 squares was introduced, it was realised that you could avoid opposition pawns on the 3/6 rank by just moving two squares. So en passent was introduced to make up for this.
Historically, en passant is one of the last series of major rule changes in European chess that occurred in the 14th to 15th century, together with the introduction of the two-square first move for pawns, castling, and the unlimited range for queens and bishops. Because of their separation from European chess prior to that period, the Asian chess variants do not feature any of these moves.
The idea behind en passant was that when the two-square first move for pawns was introduced to speed up the opening phase, this should not allow pawns to sneak past opposing pawns. Although a novice introduced to en passant by an opponent in the course of a game will often react with incredulity at the apparent illogic of this rule, upon closer examination, it is quite logical. As its name implies, the conceit is that a pawn, which ordinarily moves only one square at a time, cannot move immediately to a square two rows ahead. It is thus vulnerable to being killed "in passing" through the first square to get to the second. The same principle can be seen in the rule that one cannot castle through 'check'. Since a King ordinarily moves only one square at a time, he cannot move two squares at once, and thus renders himself vulnerable to being killed in passing through the first square. Since by the conventions of chess, a King is not allowed to expose himself to death, castling through 'check' is not allowed.
Originally posted by Sicilian Smaug I was once playing chess with a Polish friend that could barely speak a word of English. I let him get away with moving 2 pawns one square each in one go at the start in reply to my e4 (After much attempt of arguing with him that it wasnt allowed). Then came my en passant move which was met with a glare followed by protests of 'NO RUE!' and him grabbi ...[text shortened]... p my board and left.
Why cant everyone learn the sodding rules? There are not that many.ðŸ˜
Every time i play it OTB in casual chess outside my chess club i end up in the same argument. I just let people get away with it now to save argument. Anyone who doesn't know the rule generally isn't that good anyway...
Originally posted by geofftaliban Given the rarity of a worthwhile en passant move, what is its rationale? Does anyone know its origin and exactly why it exists?
Don't forget, that even though the move occurs rarely, it comes into play much more than it is actually played.
There are many times in thinking that I'll have to observe that "if I move my pawn there, my opponent will take me en passant." Thus I don't make my move and my opponent does not utilize en passant. It still has a big affect.
It's kind of interesting that one must utilize the oppurtunity of EP immidiately.
Sometimes you can set up so that your opponent will get an advantage from using EP against you, with the exception that he cannot do it immidiately or he will be at disadvantage. Which means there isn't enough time to utilize EP..
I wonder what it would be like if one could choose to make EP in 2-3 moves (providing no piece is in the way)..
It exists because God wishes it to exist. We cannot know his design. Except to know that it is intelligent. If you question this, a terrible fate shall await you.
The history of en passant?
09 May '06 21:26
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