Answers.Body: <p>Easier for everybody. No need to check enpassant possibility.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2018-03-13T11:00:29.950Z
Answers.Text: Thank you! It's a trivial question, but I was intrigued by it!
Answers.UserDisplayName: Myungjin Hyun
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2018-03-10T00:39:28.313Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2018-03-10T00:39:28.313Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: SmallChess
Body: <p>If a pawn has just moved  two squares ahead, one records the square right behind it in the part of FEN for recording en passant possibility, regardless of whether there is a pawn of the opposite color ready to make the capture.</p>
  
  <p>For example, the FEN for the position after 1. e4 is:</p>
  
  <pre><code>rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/4P3/8/PPPP1PPP/RNBQKBNR b KQkq e3 0 1
  </code></pre>
  
  <h2>My question</h2>
  
  <p>Why is this done? It sounds superfluous, since an en passant capture can be made only on the very next move of the opponent's, so recording it as such when there is no pawn in position to make the capture seems unnecessary.</p>
  
  <p>Is there some historical or technical reason for this?</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2018-03-09T14:15:51.320Z
Comments.Text: It's easier, just always put it there after a double pawn move, no need to check anything.
Comments.UserDisplayName: RemcoGerlich
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2018-03-09T14:30:00.380Z
Comments.Text: @RemcoGerlich So it's just for simplicity's sake? Thanks, make that an answer (if you don't mind) so I can accept it! :)
Comments.UserDisplayName: Myungjin Hyun
Tags: <history><fen>
Title: Why is en passant possibility recorded in FEN regardless of whether there is a pawn ready to make the capture?
ThreadText: # Why is en passant possibility recorded in FEN regardless of whether there is a pawn ready to make the capture?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2018-03-09)
  
  If a pawn has just moved two squares ahead, one records the square right behind it in the part of FEN for recording en passant possibility, regardless of whether there is a pawn of the opposite color ready to make the capture.
  
  For example, the FEN for the position after 1. e4 is:
  
  ```
  rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/4P3/8/PPPP1PPP/RNBQKBNR b KQkq e3 0 1
  
  ```
  
  ## My question
  
  Why is this done? It sounds superfluous, since an en passant capture can be made only on the very next move of the opponent's, so recording it as such when there is no pawn in position to make the capture seems unnecessary.
  
  Is there some historical or technical reason for this?
  
  **Tags:** history, fen
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: It's easier, just always put it there after a double pawn move, no need to check anything.  
  > **username_0**: @username_1 So it's just for simplicity's sake? Thanks, make that an answer (if you don't mind) so I can accept it! :)  
  
  ---
  
  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2018-03-10. Score: 5 | Accepted answer
  
  Easier for everybody. No need to check enpassant possibility.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: Thank you! It's a trivial question, but I was intrigued by it!  
  
  ---
  
  