En passant chess puzzles
20 en passant puzzles from real games, ordered from easy to hard. Each has a hint and the full solution.
What is a en passant in chess?
En passant is a special pawn capture: when a pawn moves two squares and lands beside an enemy pawn, that pawn may capture it as if it had moved one square, but only on the very next move.
How to spot a en passant
When an enemy pawn has just made a two-square move next to your pawn on your fifth rank, en passant is available. Puzzles use it to open a line or give a discovered check.
Learn it first: Promotion and en passant
En passant chess puzzles
Puzzle 1: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 15. Nc1.
Puzzle rating 1485
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, discovered attack, discovered check
Show solution
15... Qa5+ 16. b4 axb3#
FEN: r2qkbnr/1p2p3/2p2p2/2Pp1bp1/p2P3p/P3BN1P/RP1KPPP1/2NQ1B1R b kq - 1 15
Puzzle 2: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 37. g4+.
Puzzle rating 1667
Hint
Theme: en passant, endgame tactic
Show solution
37... hxg3+ 38. Nxg3+ Bxg3+
FEN: 8/8/p2b1p2/3p1kp1/bPpPp1Pp/P1B1PP1P/4NK2/8 b - g3 0 37
Puzzle 3: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 28... Qf3.
Puzzle rating 1823
Hint
Theme: en passant, middlegame tactic
Show solution
29. cxd6 c5 30. dxc6 bxc6 31. Qxc6 Qd3+ 32. Ka2
FEN: r2k1r1b/1pp5/3p2p1/1NPPp1P1/p3P1R1/Pn3q2/1PQ2P2/1K4R1 w - - 3 29
Puzzle 4: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 32... a2.
Puzzle rating 1845
Hint
Theme: pin, en passant, middlegame tactic
Show solution
33. gxh6 g5 34. hxg6 fxg6 35. Bxg6 Kh8 36. Bxe8
FEN: 1r2qrk1/4bpp1/4p2p/4P1PP/1nPNBP2/3P2Q1/p6K/3R4 w - - 0 33
Puzzle 5: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 53... f5+.
Puzzle rating 1892
Hint
Theme: en passant, endgame tactic
Show solution
54. gxf6 Rh4+ 55. Kxh4 Qh2+ 56. Kg4 Qh5+ 57. Qxh5
FEN: 1q4k1/r6p/4P1pP/3Q1pP1/6K1/2P5/5RP1/7r w - f6 0 54
Puzzle 6: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 15... c6.
Puzzle rating 1942
Hint
Theme: en passant, middlegame tactic
Show solution
16. Qg4 g5 17. hxg6
FEN: r2q1rk1/pp2nppb/2pp3p/4p2P/2B1P2N/3PP3/PPP5/R2QK1R1 w Q - 0 16
Puzzle 7: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 11... Kc6.
Puzzle rating 1974
Hint
Theme: discovered attack, discovered check, en passant
Show solution
12. d5+ Kb6 13. Qd4+ c5 14. dxc6+
FEN: rnbqr3/ppp2p1p/2kb3p/8/3P2Q1/2N5/PPP2PPP/2KR2NR w - - 2 12
Puzzle 8: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 18... g6.
Puzzle rating 2043
Hint
Theme: en passant, middlegame tactic
Show solution
19. Qh6 Bxe4 20. Nxe4 f5 21. exf6
FEN: 3r1rk1/2q1bp1p/ppb1p1p1/2p1P2Q/P3N3/1P1P4/1BPN2PP/5RK1 w - - 0 19
Puzzle 9: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 24. g4.
Puzzle rating 2071
Hint
Theme: fork, en passant, middlegame tactic
Show solution
24... hxg3+ 25. Nxg3 Nxg3
FEN: 2r5/p3bpk1/2p1p1p1/q1p1Pn1r/2PpNPPp/1P1P3P/P4Q1K/2B1RR2 b - g3 0 24
Puzzle 10: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 29. g4+.
Puzzle rating 2154
Hint
Theme: en passant, bishop endgame, endgame tactic
Show solution
29... fxg3 30. fxg3 g4+ 31. hxg4+ hxg4+
FEN: 8/p1p5/2pb4/3p1kpp/3P1pP1/2P2K1P/PP1B1P2/8 b - g3 0 29
Puzzle 11: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 13... f5.
Puzzle rating 2166
Hint
Theme: pin, en passant, middlegame tactic
Show solution
14. exf6 Rxf6 15. Rxf6
FEN: r1bq1rk1/p3b1pp/4p3/1pp1Pp2/3pP1Q1/3P2P1/PPP3BP/R1B2RK1 w - f6 0 14
Puzzle 12: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 24... f5.
Puzzle rating 2202
Hint
Theme: discovered attack, deflection, en passant
Show solution
25. exf6 Bxf6 26. Qxh6+ Qh7 27. Rxf6
FEN: 1r3r1k/p5b1/2p1p2p/3pPp2/5Q1P/2N2RR1/P1q3P1/7K w - f6 0 25
Puzzle 13: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 51... g5.
Puzzle rating 2246
Hint
Theme: fork, attraction (decoy), en passant
Show solution
52. hxg6+ Kxg6 53. Nf4+ Kg5 54. Nxd3
FEN: R7/7k/2n1Np1p/1p4pP/p5P1/3r4/5PK1/8 w - g6 0 52
Puzzle 14: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 43. g4.
Puzzle rating 2350
Hint
Theme: quiet move, en passant, advanced pawn
Show solution
43... fxg3 44. hxg3 h5 45. Kc4 h4 46. gxh4 gxh4 47. Kd3 h3 48. Ke3 h2
FEN: 8/8/7p/2K1k1p1/5pP1/5P2/7P/8 b - g3 0 43
Puzzle 15: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 15. axb4.
Puzzle rating 2372
Hint
Theme: en passant, middlegame tactic
Show solution
15... Bxb4 16. c4 dxc3
FEN: r1b2rk1/1p3pp1/p6p/q1b1p3/1P1pQ1PP/4PPB1/1PP5/2KR1BNR b - - 0 15
Puzzle 16: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 19. f4.
Puzzle rating 2439
Hint
Theme: fork, intermezzo (zwischenzug), sacrifice
Show solution
19... exf3 20. Qxg6 f2+ 21. Kh2 hxg6
FEN: 4rr1k/pp4pp/2p3q1/8/3PpPb1/4P1P1/PPQN2P1/R3R1K1 b - f3 0 19
Puzzle 17: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 36... d5+.
Puzzle rating 2477
Hint
Theme: en passant, middlegame tactic
Show solution
37. exd6 Rc8+ 38. Kb3 Rxb2+ 39. Kxb2 Qxa1+ 40. Kxa1
FEN: 1k1r4/p7/1N2pp1b/3pP3/2KPQ3/2P2N2/1P1r4/R6q w - d6 0 37
Puzzle 18: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 36... b5.
Puzzle rating 2483
Hint
Theme: quiet move, en passant, advanced pawn
Show solution
37. cxb6 axb6 38. Ke4 b5 39. h5 c5 40. h6 Kf6 41. h7
FEN: 8/p7/2p1k3/1pP1p3/7P/4K3/2P5/8 w - b6 0 37
Puzzle 19: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 38... Qe7.
Puzzle rating 2577
Hint
Show solution
39. Nxh7+ Kg7 40. Qxd4+ Kxh7 41. Qh4+ Kg6 42. Bc2+ f5 43. gxf6+ Kf7 44. fxe7
FEN: r4kr1/4qp1b/p4N2/6P1/B1Pp1Q2/8/PP5K/8 w - - 1 39
Puzzle 20: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 38... e5.
Puzzle rating 2714
Hint
Theme: zugzwang, en passant, pawn endgame
Show solution
39. dxe6 Kxe6 40. Kc4 Kf6 41. Kb5
FEN: 8/8/3p1k2/p2Ppp2/1p3P1p/1P1K4/P5PP/8 w - e6 0 39