Queens pawn opening

Any comments on the effectiveness and variations of d4?

Some variations are:

QGA, QGD/Orthodox, QGD/Tarrasch, Slav, Semi-Slav, King's Indian Nimzo-Indian, Queen's Indian, Bogo-Indian, Dutch/Stonewall, Benko, Benoni, Dutch/Leningrad, Chigorin, Gruenfeld, Two Knights Tango, Blackmar-Diemer, etc, etc.

Its effectiveness according to chessgames.com:

    1.e4 scores 37.1% wins, 34.1% draws, 28.7% losses.

    1.d4 scores 36.8% wins, 38.3% draws, 24.9% losses 

Ask a vague question, get a vague answer. 

i wanted to discuss various d4 lines, the pros and cons of them, and that sort of thing, have you used the variations, and all that.

Well, this is difficult, because there are so many lines starting with 1.d4 -

 The general consensus is that 1.d4 gives more closed games than 1.e4, but of course, it all depends on the specific openings and variations you play...

The reasons d4 generally leads to a more positional game than the more tactical e4 are:

1) The advanced pawn is automatically protected from the start;

2) The advance of the adjacent bishop pawn to strike strongly at the center does not involve exposing the king.

In other words, the Queen's Gambit (Accepted or Declined) is good for some of the same reasons as the King's Gambit, but without the risks. That is the main reason this opening has been favored by so many of the strongest chess players throughout the last 120 years. Although it is to be noted that a great tactical, attacking player like Frank Marshall played the Queen's pawn game almost exclusively.  

I have begun playing d4 exclusively using the indian defense model. It suits my need to creat a sound positional opening. As a new player, I have found tactical approaches more difficult than strategic ones. This is why I like d4 indian defense.

Prefered variations:

Catalan, nimzo-indian

 Wish I could discuss more with you, but my knowledge is not yet profound enough to do so.

That's why you play 1...f5!!! 0-1

This is a very common misconception among new players.

Do you win more often against tough opposition in those quieter, strategic openings, or do you just last longer before you lose? Some people think they're doing well because they last a longer number of moves before losing, but that's not true. You still lost.

Shorter, tactical losses are easier to learn from. The mistakes are bigger, the punishments come quicker, and it's just more obvious why you lost. So you will learn faster by playing open, tactical games as a beginner, and that will help you improve faster.

--Fromper 

The Dutch Defense is very powerful and aggressive, yet it doesn't deserve 3 !'s, and in no way guarantees a win for black.