Bobby Fischer wrote that 1.e4 was "best by test".
Bobby Fischer also celebrated the 9/11 event, and claimed that all Americans should die a slow and painful death.
What a fellow!
but what does that have to do with chess??
For beginners and intermediate players e4 is much better, because it is easier to play, and everybody should play and learn open games first. After you have reached an advanced level, it is just matter of taste, both are very good. It is a common mistake to say that "e4 is for tactical, d4 is for positional play". Strategy and tactics cannot exist without the other, they supplement each other. Tactics arise from strategical advantages, most of the time piece activity. And strategy would be nothing if tactics would not exist.
You can decide whether you like to play a usually more opened, or a rather a closed position. It is matter of taste. But fist you should become good in open games, and later closed games. After that, you can easily decide which one do you prefer.
It's just a matter of taste, actually. Both 1.e4 and 1.d4 can lead to tactics or long strategical struggle. For instance, with 1.e4 c5 you can play sharp Sicilian Defense lines, or get a long strategical game with Ruy Lopez 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5. Same applies to 1.d4, you can get a positional maneuvring with Queen's Gambit or Catalan, or sharp game with Albin Countergambit or The Budapest Gambit or even something like 1.d4 e5...
In top level chess, Kramnik has shown that Berlin Defense neutralizes 1.e4, however, Carlsen always plays d3, avoiding Berlin and is keeping 1.e4 alive.
I play 1.d4, 1.e4, 1.c4, or 1.nf3
All the same--just the first move. It's what you do after that matters, as they each have their own directions that the game can spin off in.
Play what you're most comfortable with. It's all a matter of personal preference.
well I usally play e4,but if you are haveing debat on you frist move, get a MCO (modern chess openings)
depends on ur playing style and the variations that are played
oh my god.. not this again....
No worries, Cog. This time it will be settled, once and for all.
oh my god.. not this again....
No worries, Cog. This time it will be settled, once and for all.
lol
d4 is best because e4 is so popular
d4 is best because e4 is so popular
Says the nutcase that resigns ALL of his games.
Oh, yes, this troll too !
And otherwise, I always trade my bishop versus a knight ! And Chigorin is the best player ever !
go d4!!!!!!!!!!
Yeah, you could argue the Exchange French is more like a 1.d4 line than an 1.e4 line, but obviously White has other, more "e4-style" options against the French...
I agree, but in general 1.e4 positions tend to be more direct, and 1.d4 positions tend to be more subtle, but there are also many exceptions, for example basically the entire King's Indian Defense.
Well, basically in 1.d4 openings White spends the whole game wishing he or she played 1.e4 until he or she finally moves the e3-pawn up another square at which point Black either equalizes immediately or gets a worse position.
In 1.e4 openings White plays d4 whenever he or she wants.
well its your choice
The opening move that suits your style is the best one.
Pick your three favorite GMs. If that's too broad go with three favorite WCs.
Look on chessgames.com for their top openings as White.
Make your call from that.
OR play Nf3
In 1.e4 openings White plays d4 whenever he or she wants."
It is not so simple. Yes, it is totally true what you wrote. But there is a big difference in 1. e4 and 1. d4. The d4 pawn is protected, the e4 pawn is not protected when you play it as first move. There are several openings, which are based on attacking the e4 pawns, and without playing e4 those openings would not be as effective as in case of e4 has been played.
Compare for example the owen's defence with the Queen's indian defence. The only difference is that in the owen black can attack the e4 pawn, in the QID black cannot, since there is no pawn on e4.
Just read a quote apparently from Lasker:
"These Hypermodern players who object to 1.e4 will play about 20 moves in which nothing happens; then the annotator will declare with a flourish, 'and now White threatens e4!"