En Passant

[Lawrence]

Here is the set up in question: ( I will only address the imediate area and not identify the surrounding pieces)

White advances from g2 to g4 - black pawn is on h4. Normally as I understand it black pawn may now advance diagonally to take white pawn to advance to g3. Now here is my question:

Can this be accomplished only if there is an open space on h3? Since in this scenario the white pawn is occupying h3, does this space being occupied prevent the En Passant to be accomplished? Thank you, Lawrence

[Javier]

Hello Lawrence.

 

I guess you mean a position like this:

 

 

With white to move, if he goes 1.g2-g4 black can indeed take white's g pawn en passant (1...hxg3) by moving his own pawn to g3 and removing white's pawn from g4. The fact that the square on h3 is empty makes no difference whatsoever, if there had been another piece or pawn of either color on that square, black could still take en passant.