My biggest weakness

   I'm somewhat new to the Chess (again). I played in the past but just started playing again. I practice tactics daily already. What I notice is I pretty much get in trouble early and have to "come back" to win if I do win. My lack of opening knowledge gets me in trouble early and sometimes it's too much to overcome.

   Right now my opening as White is the Queen's Pawn opening, going into the Queen's Gambit if my opponent plays d5. Obviously my opponents do not have to play d5 and can reply a lot of different ways. I use the QPO because it's a solid opening but should I change and play e4 instead of opening with 1) d4? (when I'm playing the Black pieces, that's a whole different issue).

   I know people always advice to forget studying openings ahead of tactics but I'm not putting it ahead, I just need better opening understanding on top of the tactics training I do everyday.

   I appreciate any advice and if you can post some diagrams of the moves (or list the moves) I would love the a lot.

   Thanks.

I did not expect someone would think that I meant I should play e4 instead of c4...I did say I play the queens gambit in response to d5 by my opponent.

I meant should I play king's pawn opening instead of qpo...I figured people would know that not think e4 on the second move.

Btw, I think d4, d5, e4 is viable...some kind of gambit but I don't play that line so I don't know much about it; then I think after dxe4 followed by f3 & then if your opponent takes on f3, you take with your knight. I could be wrong.

1. d4 d5 2. e4 is the Blackmar Gambit, and it's a fine opening. Maybe try a few games with King's Pawn Opening and see what you think. Try things like Italian Game and Scotch Game.

You're much more likely to use your tactics in the openings with 1.e4.

1.e4 are usually considered more "open" than 1.d4. So, in the case of 1.e4 openings, your tactics will help you understand better than the more "closed" and "positional" 1.d4 openings. 1.e4 can get some "closed" positions (it's just not as frequent). You'll eventually play these also.

Playing Black vs 1.d4 will give you some exposure to that type of play. 

If you avoid playing 1.e4 as White (at this point) I predict your tactics will suffer as a consequence. That's what makes a big difference. "Tactics flow from a superior position", but if your tactics are inferior...you won't be able to capitalize on it.

You are correct, it is the Blackmar–Diemer Gambit and I made a mistake in my above post. I said f3 after dxe4 but it's actually Nc3 by White on their third move attacking the Black pawn on e4. I don't think many Grandmasters play the line though so I am guessing it's not really a sound gambit line.

For me I think it's more of making too many mistakes. I make lots of them. I also need to be more aggressive with my attacks and commit to them completely plus be more open to ideas of sacrificing pawns or even pieces to get an attack going like Mikhail Tal or Judit Polgar - they are both great attacking players as are many other GMs.

you should try playing 1 e4 e5 with both colours. the strategy here is simpler than in the closed games arising after d4 d5. you shouldn't try complex strategy until you are tactically strong, and also you should prefer open positions when you can get them. 

i would avoid systems that don't have any pawn tension for 10 or so moves. you should practice being tactically alert at all times and not go auto pilot.