Should a beginner play d4 or e4 first?

Heyy, nice to see another great player in this topic, it is an honor, sir. 

But yes, it was game 6 of the championship:  http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1044366

Spassky was surprised not because of his familiarity with the Tarkatower, BUT because Fischer NEVER played d4 AND Spassky never lost against it.  *****Fischer began with c4, not d4, but eventually transposed......  So Spassky was taken aback.  Fischer was quite a psychological player.  He was a bit crazy, but a genius.  At least this is what I think, sir.  I could be quite mistaken haha

The London System has plenty of tactics, like Ne5 for example.  This can lead to a swift kingside attack against another beginner .  Besides, the beginner can study also Fred Reinfield's 1001 checkmates for tactics practice.  It is better than the tactics trainer found here on chess.com.

I appreciate your feedback sir.

@kindaspongey

Thank you for your long, insightful remark.  I agree with you.  However, one opening that is taught to beginners VERY early is the KIA as white.  It is a good opening, but a beginner will not understand the subtleties needed to win a game with it, in my opinion of course

Again, thanks for your feedback, sir.

Opinions differ on the suitability of the KIA for beginners. GM Seirawan seemed sympathetic to the idea in his Winning Chess Openings book.

https://web.archive.org/web/20140627132508/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen173.pdf

The IM Watson quote struck me as disapproving, but not adamantly opposed.

completely agree

No

beginner must start with moves like 1.b3, 1.g3, 1.Nf3 or even 1.Na3. It's very useful to play side-openings to which you opponent can't be prepared properly. e4 and all these Sicilian defense variations prolonging to move 50 are boring and all these moves worth remembering if you play e4. d4 is much better, but irregular openings are the best!!!

Agreed!  Play the Icelandic gambit as black (part of the scandinavian defense).  It is very tricky and very few opponents will be ready for it.

I would say e4 is better. Many chess coaches insist on playing e4 first because it gives the player a chance to control the centre by moving d4 next. e4 is easier to learn, though.

e4 is not too easy to learn in my opinion.  White has to deal with numerous tricky defenses (such as the sicilian).  On the other hand, the London System is very safe but can easily lead to a kingside attack if black isn't careful.

Too defensive.You need to play tactical games first.not some illuminati pawn structure

Is there a system called the Mexican?

i mean, there is Sicilian, London, Scandinavian, Icelandic gambit......

Agreed.

The Mexican Reshevsky Attack is as follows below, it has been played by GM Reshevsky numerous times.  He called it the Mexican attack because he won a LOT of games in a simul in Juarez, Mexico with it.  The opening sequence is below:

so D4 instead of E4...

That truly goes against everything i've learned in this game of chess!  I feel I must learn this system tho, due to well, you know...i'm a taco lovin nacho dippin mexican beaner. 

haha you are funny

Leon, thread back on track, I'm learning the Mexican, you think I'm funny, and I'm currently eating tacos.  

Ahhhh can this day get any better??

e4 is for aggressive players and d4 for something between. Pure positional player would play 1. Nf3

I have played 1000s of games with d4 and I am a Class A player....and I have noticed that d4 is actually much more aggressive than many would think.  However, yes I do agree that e4 is more aggressive in general, of course, sir.  Thank you for your feedback

Not true.  You can play passively with 1.e4 and aggressively with 1.Nf3.  The first move is just that....a move.  I don't understand why people feel the need to make these huge generalizations based on white's first move.  

whoa.  wait a minute...i've played E4 and finished a game in four moves.  that's pretty huge.