What do you think is the best opening for black after e4?

For vs 1. e4 black has a few good options.

Personally I like e5.

I see a lot of c5, that can be strong for black.

And sometimes I see e6

e5 is best by test, but i dont like the black side of the ruy lopez, c5 is the most played sicilian) what people are saying that with solid play black wont get active play isnt true, the only problem with the sicilian is that you have to really know theory, i would suggest the dragon and nadgjorf(spelling idk) caro kann is my opinion the easiest way to draw with the black pieces, better than the french but still passive, but if you go into the endgame the pawn structure will favor you, a well prepared sicilian player will always get counter play dont listen to these people

Yes! of course. Thanks for clearing that up.

I have found the French Defense to be a very rich opening, that tends to be

particulary annoying for white.

http://www.ff-winners.com

And they say Caro-Kann players are passive by nature!

Dude, I'm a good dog, no?   

e5, goin for philidor's defense.  I need to keep it simple and just develop at this stage.

Speaking of which, what are your thoughts on the Caro-Kann? (Everybody, not just baddogno!)

Personally, I find it gives white far too much freedom to move around, and I don't like the Queen-side weaknesses that can easily open up. Granted, it does offer a strong pawn structure that can be very favourable in the endgame, when playing the Caro-Kann the endgame is about 300 moves in, it seems.

But correct me if I'm wrong.

The majority of players will say c5 the sicilian and i m agree .There is so many possibillity to continue the game

For my part i play often c6 Caro-Khan and I have good result with

I play c6 mostly, but not really for positive reasons.  It just happens to be an opening I'm comfortable with.  The Caro-Kann does require patience, but at my patzer level let's face it-the only way I win games is if my opponent blunders.  I have little doubt that the Sicilian is a stronger reply, but I'm just not booked up enough on it yet to give it a go.

Caro-Kann is my favorite. I think it is for more passive players; people who like to build up a nice defence and wait for their opponent to mess up. 

I never seen to do a very good job with the sicilian for some reason. 

Pirc, d6.  But I play d6 against everything.

Theoretically, 1...e5, and may be a few others including 1...c5. There is no difference between theoretical best moves, as they all lead to draw anyway.

Practically, it depends. Nobody should play the Sicilian against me in the future, because I'm in the serious process of finding the refutation to the Sicilian . Sicilian is the most reliable defense in high level and in the future, and the probability to happen is very high, so I thought it would be very advantageous to become a Sicilian killer

 You cannot refute the Sicillian...

1. ...d5 followed by  2. exd5  Qxd5 

if you want play open game

1.e4 e5 Double King's Pawn Opening or Open Game

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Ruy Lopez

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 Scotch Game

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Italian Game

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 Four Knights Game

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 Petrov's Defense

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 Philidor Defense

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Vienna Game

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bishop's Opening

1.e4 e5 2.f4 King's Gambit

1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.Qxd4 Center Game

 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 Danish Gambit

if you want play semi open game

1.e4 c5 Sicilian Defense

 1.e4 e6 French Defense

1.e4 c6 Caro-Kann Defense

1.e4 d5 Scandinavian Defense

 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 Pirc Defense

1.e4 Nf6 Alekhine's Defense

1.e4 g6 Modern Defense

King's Pawn  1.e4

White's aggressive opening move opens lines for the queen and king's bishop and fights for control of the squares d5 and f5. 1. e4 is the most traditional of White's first moves, is popular at all levels of the game and is the favoured opening move of world champions Bobby Fischer and Anatoly Karpov, Fischer calling it 'best by test'. Openings with 1. e4 tend to emphasize violent tactics over slow maneuvering.

At this point Black must decide how to face White's aggression. With a pawn on e4 White's simplest plan is to play d4 on the next move, giving himself a strong 'classical' centre, so the most aggressive replies by Black challenge White's control of d4.

• 1...e5 challenges it directly, establishing an equal share of the centre though allowing White to maintain for longer the initiative conferred by having the first move.
• 1...c5 creates an unbalanced position of attack and counter-attack and is the more popular move.
• 1...Nc6 is playable but does not prevent d4 since the knight cannot take the pawn without the queen recapturing.

Alternatively, Black may challenge White's central control by targeting the newly arrived e4 pawn, either with

• 1...d5, with a likely exchange of central pawns leading to a wide-open game in which minor piece placement is crucial, or with
• 1...Nf6 inviting White to build a large centre that may later be attacked.
• 1...f5 Fred defence, is a very poor move since the attacking pawn is left en prise.

Other first moves by Black allow White to place pawns on e4 and d4, with Black giving up a spatial disadvantage in order to prepare a counterattack.

• 1...e6, French defence, a popular move. Black follows up with d5. The main disadvantage of this opening is that Black's light-squared bishop becomes blocked behind his pawns
• 1...c6 also prepares d5, but without blocking the bishop.
• 1...d6 and
• 1...g6 are related moves - where one is played, the other usually follows soon. The aim is to set up a solid but dynamic formation with Bg7 and usually Nf6 before deciding how to fight for the center.
• 1...b6 is occasionally played but allows White to attack quickly.

While the late English GM Tony Miles beat the then world champion Anatoly Karpov in a famous game with

• 1...a6 neglects the centre and is not recommended to anyone less skilled than Tony Miles.

Rarely played moves by Black include

• 1...a5, is also not recommended, as it weakens Black's position.
• 1...Na6, Lemming Defence, which is too passive.
• 1...Nh6, Adams Defence, which is also too passive.
• 1...h6, Carr Defence, which wastes time and weakens Black's kingside.
• 1...h5, Pickering Defence, which does not help development.
• 1...g5, Borg Defence
• 1...f6, Barnes Defence, weakens the Black king.
• 1...b5, Polish Gambit, unsound because 2. Bxb5 gives White a free pawn.

Approximately chances: White win 39%, Draw 29%, Black win 32%
Estimated next move popularity: c5 41%, e5 25%, e6 13%, c6 7%, d6 4%, d5 4%, g6 3%, Nf6 2%, Nc6 0.5%, other moves less than 0.5%

lbtr74aao deserves a trophy.

Second that - nice job lbtr74aaooooooo!

In correspondence chess, 1...e5 is the best.  Over the Board, in order to play 1...e5, you would have to know a lot of theory; and probably would do better with a half-open defense such as the Sicilian or French.   Over the board psychology plays a part, and by playing a half-open defense you are telling your opponent we will play my opening.