Should a beginner play d4 or e4 first?

Are there only two extreme possibilities?

"... besides the requirement to observe general principles, every opening presents its own particular, specific tasks, determined  by the formation of pieces that characterizes it. ..." - The Soviet Chess Primer

Haha, the Italian. It has to be the most natural opening in Chess. When I first started studying chess seriously as a kid over the summer, I went back to school in the fall, and went 42-0 in Chess Club...by playing the Italian, mostly with 4.Ng5, then of course 5.Nxf7 and getting that rook. I'd ride that advantage to the win every time beating all those 600 and 700 level players, lol. I don't even remember how I learned it. They don't come more fundamental, or natural, than the Italian. 

What the hell, people digging on the Colle? It's awesome, and a lot of fun. Really solid too in the right hands, the Zugertort at least for sure. A lot depends on style. Some people just aren't going to be as comfortable with some openings as others. If you get better results with one opening than another, and it's more congruent to your way of thinking and playing, hard to argue that you should play something else. 

Get much of 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4 Bc5 or 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4 Nf6 4 Ng5 d5 ?

Thank you for your insight!  I agree that different beginners enjoy different openings/defenses.  Very good point.

*puke*

lol

We had an interesting thread on the Colle here: https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-openings/isolated-pawn-in-the-colle

The colle is a fine opening, just like the London System.  I don't understand why these trolls feel the need to bash them.

I still feel that 1. d4 just kind of 'slows the game down' so the new player can do a lot more ruminating and exploring the position and the game rather than just banging out memorized moves.  a slower, quieter game is the key, which 1. d4 can achieve.  my only complaint about 1. c4 is that it is too passive, and my only complaint about 1. nf3 is that white can easily fall into a passive position without having staked out a claim in the center.

I feel like 1. e4 turns too easily into a rote memorization game between two beginners who are memorzing the same lines.

"... You should prepare your repertoire according to your own chess tastes and style. ..." - GM Artur Yusupov

"Alekhine advised beginners not to play the Spanish game. We also recommend you get some experience first by playing relatively simple openings - the Scotch and Italian games - and only then move on to the Spanish one." - Journey to the Chess Kingdom by Yuri Averbakh and Mikhail Beilin

The London System has an assortment of tricks to teach the student. A student should learn the basic system setup, then the subtleties that you can incorporate to attack your opponent. The knight on e5 is the most basic one. There are many. The London System has lots of tactical tricks and is superior to teach to a student in my opinion than the Guico Piano (Italian Game). I don't want my student to do just memorize the opening and not to know what is next. With the london system, white has MUCH more time to create a plan (such as a kingside attack). Slower games also teach the student patience and endurance, which are two very important psychological aspects of chess. In the meanwhile, I recommend studying the book "1001 checkmates" by Fred Reinfield. The book will also teach the student checkmate pattern recognition. Cheers to all! ......except the trolls who so happily infiltrated this great topic near the end.

 all things being equal, and I had to pick... d4 is my answer . especially with the way modern chess is quickly changing. 

Just because someone disagrees with you doesn't mean they are a "troll."  

.2/10

"One of the more surprising theoretical developments of recent times has been the evolution and popularity of 1 d4 followed by 2 Bf4. ..." - September 2017 issue of Chess

Yes, it is a fact that you are a low-skilled troll, no innate talent to speak of.  I wish you luck on your journey to becoming more proficient with your trolling skills.  Perhaps taking some courses on the art of successful trolling will get you to at least an "average" skill level, although I fear that you have very little potential.  Such is life.  

So what _are_ you attempting to do? Snorezzzz?

No aspirations for success?  Attempt does not preclude accomplishment; it is however a requirement.