e4 is the most common opening because it allows the queen and bishop to move forward. It also lets the pawn control the center with a knight protecting. Pawn to e4 can lead to many other openings which is why it is a really good move.
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Chess players are a bunch of lemmings.
OP your defense of the black pieces against 1 e4 leaves a lot to be desired. Recent examples:
https://www.chess.com/live/game/1379453735
https://www.chess.com/live/game/1379455398
Your replies of 1 e4 "game abandoned" and 1 e4 "resigns" are known to be winning for white. However, waiting until move 3 to resign as you did in your most recent game, while perhaps not optimal, shows great improvement!
https://www.chess.com/live/game/1379471268
e4 be winning
Dec 9, 2015
0
#6
@JSLigon haha thanks for the stalkerish observations
And thank you everyone for your comments :) I figured it had something to do with allowing the queen/bishop to play
1.e4 is the most common because more people play it.
Seriously though, it's a good move. It puts a pawn in the center and frees diagonals for the Queen and bishop simultaneously. Plus Fischer played it a lot so it has street cred.
Dec 9, 2015
0
#9
@LetTheW00kieeWin I think it's such a boring move though. Would you know any other effective yet relatively exciting openings? I try new openings from time to time to see if it can change the outcome of the match a little but...lol I don't know. Watching e4 constantly being played as the opening is so redundant and boring now it makes me want to quit the game
Chess generally tends to become more exciting when you understand it better. Playing opening moves that are simply bad doesn't help in that regard. If you don't like the look of 1.e4, try 1.d4. And respond to 1.e4 with something other than 1...e5, you could for example try the Caro-Kann (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5). In my view it's just important, at least for learning purpose, to play in the centre of the board.
tmx3 wrote:
@LetTheW00kieeWin I think it's such a boring move though. Would you know any other effective yet relatively exciting openings? I try new openings from time to time to see if it can change the outcome of the match a little but...lol I don't know. Watching e4 constantly being played as the opening is so redundant and boring now it makes me want to quit the game
Rumo75 is right. The better you get, the more exciting your games will be, regardless of the first move you play. Also the fastest improvement will likely come from playing openings that revolve around those central pawns, so 1.e4 and 1.d4 should probably be your best friends for a while. If you want to shake things up you can try playing gambits. The king's gambit and queen's gambit are fun and completely useable at just about any level. The Blackmar/Diemer gambit, Goering gambit, and Danish gambit are even more intense but can lead to devastating turnarounds if you aren't careful.
The last two are called the Goering gambit and the Danish gambit.
Hope these help!
Looks like all my diagrams only show up in the Internet browser for me so if you're using a mobile app you might miss them
Another 2 openings you could try are the spanish opening and the queens gambit. Know to why e4 is the most common opening, "command the center and all things are possible". The words of my first chess mentor many years ago. Also white's aggressive opening move opens lines for the queen and king's bishop and fights for control of the squares d5 and f5.
Dec 11, 2015
0
#14
Rumo75 wrote:
Chess generally tends to become more exciting when you understand it better. Playing opening moves that are simply bad doesn't help in that regard. If you don't like the look of 1.e4, try 1.d4. And respond to 1.e4 with something other than 1...e5, you could for example try the Caro-Kann (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5). In my view it's just important, at least for learning purpose, to play in the centre of the board.
You'll probably think it's amateur of me, but I don't like playing center board. I like to open up spaces in the back more quickly...sort of like "home redecorating" so their positions later help me out.
Dec 11, 2015
0
#15
@LetTheW00kieeWin
Thanks for your examples!!! They're helpful. In my experience though most players won't do the second part of round 2 (i.e., 1. e4 e5 2. d4 dxe4) ...sometimes the opponent simply won't take the piece and will instead let another piece out which if you do take one of their pawns after that they'll threaten you with the new piece that was recently put out. I like that way better because it's more exciting but again thanksssssssss
Dec 11, 2015
0
#16
redbishopwolf, wise words your mentor said there. I guess you're right. I'm not sure why playing the center doesn't always sit well with me haha
Dec 11, 2015
0
#18
tmx3 wrote:
Rumo75 wrote:
Chess generally tends to become more exciting when you understand it better. Playing opening moves that are simply bad doesn't help in that regard. If you don't like the look of 1.e4, try 1.d4. And respond to 1.e4 with something other than 1...e5, you could for example try the Caro-Kann (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5). In my view it's just important, at least for learning purpose, to play in the centre of the board.
You'll probably think it's amateur of me, but I don't like playing center board. I like to open up spaces in the back more quickly...sort of like "home redecorating" so their positions later help me out.
Here's the problem with your logic:
You talk about "home redecorating". Ok, you are a basketball player with Shaq's build. Here's what describes your home furnishings and yourself:
- You are 7 feet tall and weight 300+ pounds.
- You have a 6 1/2 foot statue of Michael Jordan
- You have 3 pictures to hang on the wall that are each 8 feet wide and 5 feet high.
- You have a King size bed, 25 cubic foot refrigerator, a full set of kitchen appliances, a 70 inch flatscreen TV, 3 person leather couch, 2 person leather loveseat, recliner, 8 person dining room table, pool table, and 3 pinball machines.
Now, would you rather have a 700 Square foot house with 7-foot ceilings, a kitchette, studio-type spot for your bed, and a bathroom for all of this stuff, or a 3500 Square foot house with 10 foot ceilings, 4 bedroom, 3 bath, full size kitchen, den, dining room, and living room with full size useable basement?
If you don't advance your central pawns, you don't have the space to rearrange your pieces, and it's like trying to put all of your large items into that 700 square foot studio, and trying to house a dozen Mexicans with you as well in that tiny space!
Advance your central pawns so that you can "re-decorate" the rest of your pieces with the room to do it!
By starting with e4 you open the centre and also have the opportunity to use one from 50 openings.
tmx3 hat geschrieben:
Rumo75 wrote:
Chess generally tends to become more exciting when you understand it better. Playing opening moves that are simply bad doesn't help in that regard. If you don't like the look of 1.e4, try 1.d4. And respond to 1.e4 with something other than 1...e5, you could for example try the Caro-Kann (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5). In my view it's just important, at least for learning purpose, to play in the centre of the board.
You'll probably think it's amateur of me, but I don't like playing center board. I like to open up spaces in the back more quickly...sort of like "home redecorating" so their positions later help me out.
This is an advice that I would usually not give to any beginner. But if you would rather quit chess than put pawns in the centre, and there is no way of convincing you otherwise, here is my advice: Play the Hippo. It's not a world championship opening, but it's good enough even for some strong grandmasters to occasionally play it and it's based on a healthy development plan. And maybe more importantly, you really do "home decorate" your piece placement so that they do not stand in each others' way and have some influence on the centre, supporting different later pawn breaks.
Why is e4 the most common opening?