White Openings against 1.e4 e5.....any of...

Scotch Game & Gambit

Ponziani Opening

Vienna Game & Gambit - considered to be an improved version of the King’s Gambit, which is also exciting to play, especially in speed chess games (bullet, blitz, etc.).

Italian Game - is a good, solid opening for White, but is also more complex to initially learn to play well than those above...although you might check out the Evans Gambit - it is dynamic, solid and interesting to play.

As White against the Sicilian Defense (1.e4 c5)...any of...

Alapin/c3 Sicilian

Morra Gambit

Grand Prix Attack

As White against the Caro-Kann Defense (1.e4 c6)....any of...

Advance Variation

Classical (3.Nc3)

Panov Attack

As White against the French Defense (1.e4 e6).....either of...

Advance Variation

King's Indian Attack

If as White you prefer to open with 1.d4, then I recommend the London System (1.d4 d5 2.Bc4).

As Black...

I am a proponent of playing defenses which offer me a reasonable chance of success and which my opponents are less likely to be expecting, thus making it more likely that they will be less prepared than me to play it. That is, openings where there is a good chance (assuming I have done my due diligence) that I will know it better than my opponent does...

For example,

As Black against 1.e4...

Scandinavian Defense - probably the easiest defense to learn and play against 1.e4. There are four main variations: 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 (my preference), or 3...Qd5, or 3.Qd8, or 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 (the Portuguese, aka Modern, Variation).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Up9c5bbMJvE&ab_channel=GothamChess

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wpd8jcVKcJw&list=PLssNbVBYrGcDxYjYug23Ls2C-wMcqJQUQ&ab_channel=HangingPawns

An excellent repertoire book on the 3...Qa5 Variation (my preference) is The Scandinavian for Club Players by Thomas Willemze.

Caro-Kann Defense (CK)- 1.e4 c6. This is one of the four most popular defenses against 1.e4, the other three being 1...e5, the Sicilian Defense (1...c5) and the French Defense (1...e6). So 1.e4 players will likely have done some preparation in the CK. Nevertheless, the CK is very flexible and can be played by Black in a solid, conservative style or dynamically, in a sharp, counter-attacking style. For the former I recommend the CK Classical - Capablanca Variation, and for the latter the CK Classical - Korchnoi (aka Tartakower) Variation. The Classical complex (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3) is sometimes referred to as the 'Main Line' CK...

Capablanca V. (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KvEdj_TcM4&list=PLssNbVBYrGcBZfLbeAU7d8llHf2jxBEl7&index=5&ab_channel=HangingPawns

Korchnoi (aka Tartakower) V. (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5. Nxf6 exf6)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_6qOZIlbE0&list=PLssNbVBYrGcBZfLbeAU7d8llHf2jxBEl7&index=10&ab_channel=HangingPawns

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MrEYqiMU4w&ab_channel=Chessfactor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPVp5TWZR0w&ab_channel=DanielNaroditsky

A comprehensive book on the CK which includes extensive treatment of the Capablanca and the Korchnoi Variations is Win With The Caro-Kann by Sverre Johnsen and T.R. Hansen.

As Black against the Queen’s Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.c4).....

Ragozin Defense – (1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 Bb4). The Ragozin is a sibling of, and an alternative/complement to the Nimzo-Indian Defense (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4). While in some lines the Nimzo can transpose into the Ragozin, the latter tends to be more dynamic/aggressive than the Nimzo...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asmuH_dL5nQ&ab_channel=TheChessWorld.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oRtSS4lENo&ab_channel=HangingPawns

Main Line of the Nimzo-Indian Defense - Hanging Pawns…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04208aqgKMc&ab_channel=HangingPawns

A recommended book on the Ragozin Defense: Play the Ragozin - A Dynamic Repertoire by Richard Pert. The book also offers a complete repertoire after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6. 3.Nc3 Bb4 as well as a repertoire against the Catalan plus other White options after 1.d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6.

For the Nimzo-Indian I recommend the following excellent introductory books on the topic:: Starting Out: The Nimzo-Indian by Chris Ward and Playing the Nimzo-Indian by Edward Dearing.

Queen's Gambit Accepted (QGA)...(1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4)...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn4YbcucmT4&ab_channel=CoachKestony

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlXXfcXcF5o&ab_channel=HangingPawns

An instructive introduction to the QGA for Black is Starting Out: Queen's Gambit Accepted by A. Raetsky & M. Chetverik...

Albin Counter Gambit (1. d4 d5 2. c4 e5) - for its surprise value against the Queens Gambit...

https://chesspathways.com/chess-openings/queens-pawn-opening/albin-counter-gambit/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCkbChYLEd4&ab_channel=ChessVibes

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albin_Countergambit,_Lasker_Trap

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drRFTPODZlA&ab_channel=HangingPawns

An excellent, instructive introduction to the Albin C-G can be found as Chapter 8 of the book My First Chess Opening Repertoire for Black by Vincent Moret.

otherwise...

Improving Your Chess - Resources for Beginners and Beyond...

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/improving-your-chess-resources-for-beginners-and-beyond

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