Is d4 better than e4

1.b4 does not prevent 1...c5. The IdiotTiger variation goes 1.b4 ? c5 ! 2.bxc5 ? (better to refuse by 2.a3, and White has the equality) Qa5 ! regaining the pawn with an obvious advantage (open c file, developed queen, and White has a weak queenside)

uh-oh. so, if c5 can't be prevented, is white in zugzwang from the initial position?

the english is a good try but 1 c4 c5! and black still wins. a possible trap might be 1 c3!! c5 2 c4!!!!!11!1!1

Let's see what the strongest players of all time have to say on this:

The computers ! 

And let's not take some regular calculation time, where they only have a strength of lousy 3000+ ELO. On chessbase some crazy people let them calculate really deep, at levels that are not known in regular chess play and that are of unknown strength when measured in ELO.

Here is what they say according to live books:

Super-Grandmaster Houdini 3 x 64 calculated at a depth of 36 ply (!) that  d4 is best (+0.24 for white).

Super-Grandmaster Deep Fritz 13 calculated at a depth of 37 ply (!) that e4 is best (+0.43 for white).

Hope this helped in your conclusions ;)

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Depends what sort of game you want to play. Against a better opponent I might choose d4 and try to get a positional game, thereby avoiding tactical lines. 

Usually I play e4 because it's sharper and I like that :)

1. e4 because it kinda prevents 1...f5  http://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-openings/the-f5-opening.

1. d4 f5 is a recognized chess opening.

the move that a computer considers best is not necessarily the best move to do in your game.

In a human vs human contest many practical things must be considered.

For example I'm starting to use d4 because I believe I'll have more chances to outplay my opponent with subtle positional maneuvers. On e4 opening everybody 1800-2000 is so booked up that you have no chance of a meaningful advantage anyway.

1. d4 is better

lol

Thread necro for that ?

The grass is always greener on the other side. I switched from 1. e4 to 1. d4 because the open sicilian was too much of a burden and some titled player was quoted as saying (at least something to this effect) if you play 1. e4 and avoid the open sicilian, you should reconsider your suitability for playing 1. e4.

Now I am on the other side looking at the rather large Queen's Gambit, the Gruenfeld and the Benoni. The Queen's Gambit is a lot bigger then I thought. Playing the modern exchange variation of the Gruenfeld to avoid studying opening theory is a horrible idea. I never sat down and learned the Taimanov variation, even assuming that it refutes the Benoni I would still have to memorize it and deal with the Benko and ways to delay e6.

none of the moves is better than the other... it all depends on your style, opening kwnoledge and the type of game you hope to play... From a mathematical point of view softwares tend to prefer e4 because the element of mobility is given more importance. By that i mean both moves control the center and open lines for one of the bishops and the queen. e4 opens more squares than d4 thus many softwares tend to give a superior value to e4. For a Human player what matters is his or her opening taste!!! What can you do with a 0.17 advantage....

a3 beats e4

i like d4, i have no clue about chess but my layman feel is, that you seem to have control when playing d4.

well at least in queens gambit and slave defense.

No.

relative to plan/playing style e4 more open lines d4 more closed or semi open if we say that white wants to keep the initiative then a more open game is better that favours e4 but if white wants a more positional game looking to take control of squares d4 suggests itself

e4 and d4 are both good in their own ways

but can anyone explain how and why one move is better than the other?

I personally think they are equal. Both moves control central squares, both allow the bishops out and that's it. It's a matter of personal taste i believe

This topic needs to die and stay dead.  

Yes, because you don't run into dragons.  I'm scaaarred, of dragons.