Simon Groothuizen Posted:

Au contraire!

The en pbumant rule hardly comes up in games between beginners as they often “hang” pieces and the right of one pawn to pbum another hardly alters the result of the game.

Yet it is essential to the very backbone of chess: the pawn endgame. Let’s take a look at this example position:

Log in to see images!

Black’s pawn is under attack and cannot flee: for if it were to move up two spaces it were to be taken en pbumant. Hence the position is lost for black. However, without the en pbumant rule, he could equalize:

1… f5

2.g6 f4

3.g7 f3

4.g8=Q f2

with a theoretical draw.

Somehow I am not surprised you know this.