I'm playing a lot of "newbies" and I'm getting quite a few h3 and h4 (pawn) openings.  The percentage isn't high, but the numbers are for this sort of thing.  Those who do this don't stay in my game very long; maybe they're playing live chess and don't want the online version.  Most of my games with newbies end this way -- I win on time after a few moves.  Whatever the reason, it seems very strange that I'm getting this weird opening so often.  Does anyone have any ideas as to why this is happening?  Thanks in advance!

Well, control of the center squares (d4,d5,e4 and e5) is something an amateur will eventually appreciate, after losing a number of games. The people you are playing must be first-timers, who have yet to understand the concepts of "controlling the center", "piece development", "tempo", "material", etc.

Thank you, Crazychessplaya. This makes sense.  But why would they choose the H file?  Why not the A file (I don't think I've ever gotten one of these) or some other one such as the B or G file?  There must be something about the H file that attracts them.  Do you have any idea?

I have noticed that many first-timers use the h and a files. I also wondered why.  It could be a fear of the open spaces, such as, a mouse running along the baseboard instead across the center of the floor.  As Crazychessplaya wrote, they learn sooner or later that just doesn't win many games.

I never did that when I first began playing, but I certainly was a pawn pusher.  I soon learned that didn't win games either.

If the game was over-the-board, using physical chess pieces, one possible explanation would be that for a right-handed player it is easiest to pick up and move the h-pawn (when playing white)...

Not sure about the live chess, though. Maybe they just carry over the habit from OTB games?

I played an opponent that the first two moves were always 1. a4  ...   2. h4.  Then out came the Rooks.  He wouldn't play many games with me, because he never won.  Duh.

For the record, I used capital letters for the files because, when reading what I'd written, "Why not the a file?" looked lousy! :)

Anyway, I suppose he didn't like the fact that you were targeting his rooks.  Bad person, you!  Imagine, not leaving them alone and targeting the pawns instead!  I guess over the course of your games he lost quite a large percentage of rooks.

If you notice, the numbers on the latest chess boards are in the lower case.  It saves confusion when writing notation, such as, BB4 instead of Bb4.  But if it is just your notation for your own use, no big deal.  Looking at some players notation I don't know how they can read them later. I certainly have difficulty reading their notations sometimes. 

Anyway, yes, bad person me.  The idea of the game of chess is to win the quickest way possible, and eliminating his rooks did a good job of that. He was the first, and only opponent, I ever played that opened in such a fashion.  I guess one could call it: The Double H Opening. 

We never played many games, so I was not able to capture a large percentage of his rooks.  However, I captured them every opportunity i had to do so. 

I never understood that A4/H4 bring the rooks out thing. I get the idea, get the rooks into the game...but it's quite a clunky and ungraceful development strategy

Yes, most beginners with any sense of learning from their mistakes soon learn that bringing the rooks out early in a no-brainer. 

H4!