An electrical switching apparatus includes two arc runners, two contacts in electrical communication with the respective runners, a movable contact having two portions respectively cooperating with the contacts to provide closed and open contact positions, and two arc chambers each including two ends, a longitudinal axis therebetween, and arc plates between the ends. A magnet assembly cooperates with the arc chambers to establish a generally unidirectional magnetic field normal to the axes, normal to a first direction of a first arc between one contact and the first portion as it moves away from the closed toward the open contact position, and normal to an opposite second direction of a second arc between the other contact and the second portion as it moves away from the closed toward the open contact position. The magnetic field causes one arc to enter one arc chamber depending upon current flow direction between the contacts.