Endgame Offer

The Endgame Offer arises when White meets the Caro-Kann with 2. Nf3 and then 3. d3. White declines to occupy the center with d4 and instead supports the e4-pawn. The same position is frequently reached from the Breyer Variation by 2. d3 d5 3. Nf3. The name refers to the most common continuation, 3...dxe4 4. dxe4 Qxd1+ 5. Kxd1. The queens come off almost at once and White's king loses the right to castle, so the play centers on piece activity and endgame technique rather than direct attack. The line has drawn more attention in the 21st century. After 3...dxe4 White can still keep the queens with 4. Ng5, a trappy try that resembles the Tennison Gambit in the Scandinavian.

Capturing on e4 is by far the most frequent reply, and White scores well after it. Black can avoid the queen trade by keeping the central tension. One way is 3...Bg4, which pins the knight and has given Black good practical results. Another is 3...g6, intending ...Bg7. Black can also move the queen off the d-file with 3...Qc7 before capturing. Engines assess the position as roughly balanced.