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e4 vs d4

e4 vs d4

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BSU

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An old question, but is d4 better than e4 ?

Found this on chessgames: With e4 black wins 28.9% d4 25.2% (c400,000 games white wins c37% for both)

Also for e4-e5 blacks chances are 27.7%. But d4 - d5 just 22.7%: 5% lower. I've been playing as black loads lately and always find d4 harder.

I recon whoever designed the chessboard, built in e4 - e5, the resulting weakness on the f pawns and all the quick checkmates as like ' level 1 ' in chess.

But on the downside e4 is a loose piece, a little gift to black, where as d4 sits there and can't be moved so easily.

I think d4 is stronger, but more boring, and will continue playing e4! any thoughts 🙂

MR

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Originally posted by Black Star Uchess
An old question, but is d4 better than e4 ?

Found this on chessgames: With e4 black wins 28.9% d4 25.2% (c400,000 games white wins c37% for both)

Also for e4-e5 blacks chances are 27.7%. But d4 - d5 just 22.7%: 5% lower. I've been playing as black loads lately and always find d4 harder.

I recon whoever designed the chessboard, bui ...[text shortened]...

I think d4 is stronger, but more boring, and will continue playing e4! any thoughts 🙂
I like 'em both. At my level, after a few moves, I'm equally confused with either opening. 😏

W
Angler

River City

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1.d4 is best by test.

K
Chess Warrior

Riga

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Originally posted by Wulebgr
1.d4 is best by test.
And Blackmar-Diemer gambit is better than Ruy Lopez (look at that statistics link given by cheater_1 in his latest thread) 😀

BSU

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maybe i should learn that 🙂 seems both is good!

BSU

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i suspected d4 would be a bit stronger, but still think e4-e5 openings are the most elegant. Bit suprised that d4-d5 is so much worse for black, might avoid it completely now... is only a small sample though...

MR

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Originally posted by Black Star Uchess
i suspected d4 would be a bit stronger, but still think e4-e5 openings are the most elegant. Bit suprised that d4-d5 is so much worse for black, might avoid it completely now... is only a small sample though...
To tell you the truth, as a novice, I don't really pay attention to all of that opening statistics stuff. I think you should just play a little of everything for the learning experience. The only thing is that I haven't yet screwed up enough courage to play a lot of gambits, although I hear even those are good teaching tools for a novice, since they force you to play aggressively.

Except maybe at the elite GM levels, I think almost any opening is a decent one if you know it fairly well.

c

USA

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I've read that one of the reasons the statistics are lower for e4 than for d4 is the strength of the sicilian defense. The Sicilan is a dynamic counterattacking opening where Black is not just playing for equality, but for the win. However, as you pointed out, even 1.e4 e5 scores lower than 1.d4 d5. It seems so hard to call one move better than the other though, despite what the stats say.

J

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1. Nf3

BSU

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i've noticed in just novice games that d4-d5 is much worse for black then e4 e5, with the later there are tons of counter attacks in every line. but with d4 -d5 black does seem a move down and on the back foot.

K
Chess Warrior

Riga

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Originally posted by Black Star Uchess
i've noticed in just novice games that d4-d5 is much worse for black then e4 e5, with the later there are tons of counter attacks in every line. but with d4 -d5 black does seem a move down and on the back foot.
1.d4 d5 and no counter attacks? What about Albin and Chigorin for example?

AttilaTheHorn
Erro Ergo Sum

In the Green Room

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1.e4? What is that? I haven't played that in 6 years.

S

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Originally posted by Black Star Uchess
i've noticed in just novice games that d4-d5 is much worse for black then e4 e5, with the later there are tons of counter attacks in every line. but with d4 -d5 black does seem a move down and on the back foot.
1...e5!? and it is White who is on the back foot.
Game 5169972
Game 5495683
Game 5904059
Game 5904238

rc

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Originally posted by Squelchbelch
1...e5!? and it is White who is on the back foot.
Game 5169972
Game 5495683
Game 5904059
Game 5904238
does this concoction have a name?

black beetle
Black Beastie

Scheveningen

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Originally posted by robbie carrobie
does this concoction have a name?
Yeap, it is the GQG (Greedy Queen's Gambit).

After 1.d4 the White wants to establish a pawn majority in the centre and initiate a speedy mobilization, therefore if the player dislikes this idea he has just to abandon it and try something else.

At all these spectacular loses the White blundered big time. It would be enough to simply roll the QG by means of simply developing his Horsies and keep the initiative and the tempo (1.d4 e5 2.dxe5 Nc6 3.Nc3 and everything is ok: if 3. ...d6 4. exd6 and then 5.Nf3, and if 3. ...Nxe5 4.Nf3).

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