Answers.Body: <p>You can see statistics at a site like <a href="https://www.chess.com/openings" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this one</a>.</p>
  
  <p>There are four pawn moves (1. d4, 1. e4, 1. c4, 1. g3) and one knight move (1. Nf3) that form a top tier of first move choices.</p>
  
  <p>The other twelve pawn moves and three knight moves vary in terms of viability.</p>
  
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Answers.CreationDate: 2018-11-10T07:47:46.273Z
Answers.Text: On the other hand, if you are a beginner (as the question suggests), the first move has very little influence on the outcome since games are typically decided by simple tactics not positional considerations (for which the opening/1st move could play a role).
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Answers.Text: Still it is recommended for your chess development to stick with the more popular/better moves mentioned in this answer.
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Answers.CreationDate: 2018-11-10T07:53:17.940Z
Answers.Text: Also looking at the statistics after the first move is a bit meaningless because  of transpositions, e.g. you can get to the same position with different move orders.
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Answers.Text: For "fourteen" read "twelve".
Answers.UserDisplayName: bof
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Answers.LastEditDate: 2018-11-10T16:23:47.467Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Cleveland
Answers.Body: <p>The question seems to imply that the very first move is directly influencing one's chances to win. This is not the case, the first move alone does not do anything in terms of improving or worsening your chances, as long as you follow correct opening principles. So either a Pawn (i.e. 1.d4) or a Knight (i.e. 1.Nf3) is O.K. in my view. A better question would have been, IMHO, which Knight or Pawn move would be better according to general opening principles? (i.e. 1.Nf3 vs 1.Na3, or 1.e4 vs 1.h4).</p>
  
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Answers.LastEditDate: 2018-11-10T14:55:36.267Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: A. N. Other
Answers.Body: <p>Neither is better. It's mostly a matter of opinion. However, there are certain themes that a lot of the commonly played moves all have in common. They try to get the center, to develop their pieces to useful squares, and often king-safety is achieved by castling either king-side or queen-side.</p>
  
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Answers.UserDisplayName: Lourens Dijkstra
Body: <p>As stated in the title, I have always wondered whether it is better to move a pawn or knight first. Which one makes you generally more likely to win?</p>
  
Tags: <opening><pawns><knights>
Title: Is it better to move a pawn or knight first?
ThreadText: # Is it better to move a pawn or knight first?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2018-11-10)
  
  As stated in the title, I have always wondered whether it is better to move a pawn or knight first. Which one makes you generally more likely to win?
  
  **Tags:** opening, pawns, knights
  
  
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  ## 3 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2018-11-10. Score: 3 | Accepted answer
  
  You can see statistics at a site like [this one](https://www.chess.com/openings).
  
  There are four pawn moves (1. d4, 1. e4, 1. c4, 1. g3) and one knight move (1. Nf3) that form a top tier of first move choices.
  
  The username_4 twelve pawn moves and three knight moves vary in terms of viability.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_2**: On the username_4 hand, if you are a beginner (as the question suggests), the first move has very little influence on the outcome since games are typically decided by simple tactics not positional considerations (for which the opening/1st move could play a role).  
  > **username_2**: Still it is recommended for your chess development to stick with the more popular/better moves mentioned in this answer.  
  > **username_2**: Also looking at the statistics after the first move is a bit meaningless because  of transpositions, e.g. you can get to the same position with different move orders.  
  > **username_3**: For "fourteen" read "twelve".  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_4 on 2018-11-10. Score: 3
  
  The question seems to imply that the very first move is directly influencing one's chances to win. This is not the case, the first move alone does not do anything in terms of improving or worsening your chances, as long as you follow correct opening principles. So either a Pawn (i.e. 1.d4) or a Knight (i.e. 1.Nf3) is O.K. in my view. A better question would have been, IMHO, which Knight or Pawn move would be better according to general opening principles? (i.e. 1.Nf3 vs 1.Na3, or 1.e4 vs 1.h4).
  
  
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  ### Answer by username_5 on 2018-11-11. Score: 2
  
  Neither is better. It's mostly a matter of opinion. However, there are certain themes that a lot of the commonly played moves all have in common. They try to get the center, to develop their pieces to useful squares, and often king-safety is achieved by castling either king-side or queen-side.
  
  
  ---
  
  