e4 player: Ruy Lopez
d4 player: Queens Gambit
Black against e4: Sicilian
Balck against d4: KID ( Kings Indian Defense)
This is what I recommend and go by( although you should take my d4 player recommendation with a grain of salt as I have about a three games experience in playing d4 as white).
If he wants to stick with d4, Nf3, c4 etc then let him. e4 is not the only good first move.
There is just too much theory with e4 for an old man to learn now
Well in the QG I always* know the opening better than my opponents do, and because I understand it, I almost always get at least a slight advantage out of the opening, if not more. It also fits my style. Studying an opening can be fun if you look at the main plans and how they are executed.
ALWAYS? I do like the QG though in the QGA white can get some nice kingside chances. In QGD the exchange offers white the better chances and Bg5 gives white an edge also. The Indian defences white can claim a small edge. the slav small edge. semi-slav a small initiative/edge. And well that small edge can make the 2nd player quite a bit uncomfortable. According to Fritz12's new sharpness tester e4 is more sharp then d4.
I can't recall one time where my opponent knew more about the QG than I did when I played it with white. That small edge always gives me the initiative and an active plan while my opponent has to be more passive.
Most say1500 and under seem to be clueless in the QG. Currently I am having the most trouble in the Grunfeld, slav, and benko and some lines in the KID. QGD and QGA I know like the back of my hand. Semi-slav I seem to be doing fine with the Botvinik/Moscow and ocassionally trying the shirov-shabalov gambit.
was him name oh!!!(I expect this to be deleted)
spanish game, sicilian, qgd, kid
those are i think the most recommended. me, i never learned any of those.
the original openings i chose and still play are the english opening and caro-kann because i'm a positional type of guy and don't like to take risks and the dutch defense because it can be used against d4, c4, and Nf3. also, i occasionally play the nimzowitsch defense otb because of the look my opponents give me.
The openings which ur opponent is not aware of
i occasionally play the nimzowitsch defense otb because of the look my opponents give me.
lol
i occasionally play the nimzowitsch defense otb because of the look my opponents give me.
lol
rofl
Sicilian
Queen's Gambit
Ruy Lopez
French Defense
I've been thinking that I might prefer to substitute the Nimzo-Indian for the Queen's Gambit. I think you can make a case for including either one, but not both, since they're pretty similar and actually can transpose.
Why the Queen's Gambit? Perhaps to learn how to respond to 1.d4?
I don't see it as learning from one side or the other. If you learn and know the opening then you'll have an advantage from either side of the board.
If you're a beginner:
For white
1st preference: Kings Indian Attack (The theory isn't very deep)
2nd Preference: Ponziani Opening (it's great against beginners)
For black
1st Preference: Petroff Defence (The theory isn't very deep)
2nd Preference: Albin Countergambit (Another great, sharp opening against beginners).
The Petroff is more important because at beginners level nearly all of your opponents will play e4.
White: Queen's Gambit & Queen's Knight Variation
Black: Silican, French Defence & Caro-Kann Defence
If you're a beginner:
For white
1st preference: Kings Indian Attack (The theory isn't very deep)
2nd Preference: Ponziani Opening (it's great against beginners)
For black
1st Preference: Petroff Defence (The theory isn't very deep)
2nd Preference: Albin Countergambit (Another great, sharp opening against beginners).
The Petroff is more important because at beginners level nearly all of your opponents will play e4.
The theory isnt very deep?????
The petroff defense has been anaylised almost to death by top players; that's why you see so many draws. The positions of the petroff can often be more crazy then in the sicilian. The petroff is not a very good choice for beginners(you need alot of positional understanding of the positions to play the petroff well and for most beginners positional play isnt their "forte")
I recommend the French defence 
I played the Colle-Zukertort as white for the first few months. I found it helpful in that I didn't need to be so concerned with the opening moves while I was learning, and it led to picking up some of the other principles along the way.