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which is the best first move opening
1. e4, logically speaking at least
Actually, both logically and theoretically speaking, 1.d4 is the best first move.
Like 1.e4, White grabs the occupancy of one central square.
Like 1.e4, White controls one of the four central squares (e5 with 1.d4, d5 with 1.e4)
UNLIKE 1.e4, White's pawn when it advances to d4 is already protected. The e4-pawn is loose and hence must be moved or protected once attacked, like 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5, Black already threatens e4 and White must either advance it, exchange it, or protect it. There is no way to pose a direct threat to the d4-pawn in 2 moves as it is already protected by the White Queen!
There is no answer : Thrillerfan gave one but we know he is a bit rigid with openings...
In my opinion : e4, d4, c4, Nf3, g3, b3, f4, a3, h3, c3, d3, e3 (maybe Nc3 but not sure about it) are all fine to begin the game.
The problem is not the first move...
It's a matter of your personal preference for the type of positions that result, nothing more. For me, it's 1.e4. For someone else, it's 1.b3. It's how well you understand the features of the position and can formulate a sound plan that matters.
"... For players with very limited experience, I recommend using openings in which the play can be clarified at an early stage, often with a degree of simplification. To accomplish this safely will take a little study, because you will have to get used to playing wiith open lines for both sides' pieces, but you can't eliminate risk entirely in the opening anyway. ... teachers all over the world suggest that inexperienced players begin with 1 e4. ..." - IM John Watson in a section of his 2010 book, Mastering the Chess Openings, Volume 4
Even for inexperienced players, alternatives are sometimes brought up.
https://www.chess.com/article/view/the-perfect-opening-for-the-lazy-student
https://www.chess.com/article/view/has-the-king-s-indian-attack-been-forgotten
ThrillerFan wrote:
Actually, both logically and theoretically speaking, 1.d4 is the best first move.
Like 1.e4, White grabs the occupancy of one central square.
Like 1.e4, White controls one of the four central squares (e5 with 1.d4, d5 with 1.e4)
UNLIKE 1.e4, White's pawn when it advances to d4 is already protected. The e4-pawn is loose and hence must be moved or protected once attacked, like 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5, Black already threatens e4 and White must either advance it, exchange it, or protect it. There is no way to pose a direct threat to the d4-pawn in 2 moves as it is already protected by the White Queen!
I hear this all the time, but the logic behind it seems a little soft/dismissive of the merits of e4 vs. d4. Let me provide some counterpoints, for the sake of discussion:
- An e4/d4 center is more desirable than a c4/d4 center, and it is easier to arrange a d4 follow-up to 1.e4, than an e4 follow-up to 1.d4.
- 1.e4 develops faster, as it opens a diagonal for the queen.
- Developing the light-squared bishop before the dark-square bishop allows for earlier castling.
- The pawn is not really in danger after 1.e4, and is trivial to defend or exchange without loss of tempo.
- 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 poses a direct threat to the d4 pawn after 2 moves. Even though the d4 pawn is already defended by the queen, white typically advances the pawn to d5 anyway. Why would white spend a tempo to do that if there was no positional threat to address?
The February 2018 issue of Chess lists the top twenty openings compiled from a list of 5449 December games where both players were rated over 2400 Elo. One can not take position on this list too seriously because it is greatly influenced by how the openings are grouped. For example, all the Retis are grouped together, while English is separated into 1...c5, 1...e5, etc. Nevertheless, for what it is worth, some of the list entries are: 418 Retis, 201 King's Indians, 192 Caro-Kanns, 176 Slavs, 176 declined Queen's Gambits, 143 Nimzo-Indians, 140 Kan Sicilians, 136 1...e5 Englishes, 134 Najdorf Sicilians, 127 1...Nf6 Englishes, 117 Taimanov Sicilians, 108 Berlin Lopezes, 103 Queen's Indians, 96 1...c5 Englishes, 93 Giuoco Pianos, and 91 Pirc Defences.