Shelving the BD Gambit seems prudent.

Another vote for 1. e4!

From your moderator:
Any move not on the rather short list, like 1. Nf3, type it out and we'll count that. I know I could easily edit the poll and add options, but considering the number of (in my opinion) valid first moves I'd have to add, b3, g3, Nf3, Nc3, d3, e3, c3, that'd clog things up considerably.

For our first move, we'll count the poll options and whatever posted votes of the other moves.
Right now, we're looking at a move per week or so; so, let's get everyone on board.
For now, I'll leave this thread right here (it's scary how fast decent ideas come to mind) and when we're underway, I'll put up a locked thread in the CC section where I'll keep the game without the 'mess', with board positions, the move list and maybe an annotation here or there (like maybe vote percentages).
When we do get underway, the current poll (but not the thread obviously) will go away, I'll sticky the thread to the top of the board.

(A little under) 7 days from now I'll start aforementioned thread with the first move we're electing. Since I cannot promise to always be available at precisely the right time of day, that could be less or more than 7 days. As is, voting closes Sunday night.
Meanwhile I'll try not to get ahead of myself with procedure. I'll just confirm whatever move is made in the thread (that doesn't exist yet), not sure whether GM Akobian picks up the move and/or board position from the forum or PC passes it on.(Come forward if any of my ideas sound crud, I'm only improvising )

That is all, let's vote!
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To add to the discussion, I don't think Akobian's (rather ominous) expertise in the French is reason to avoid it, I doubt Akobian is any less in his comfort zone in d-pawn territory. Personally, I'd rather avoid any kind of Benoni . If I had to choose any first move except e4, I'd pick c4.

I've already voted for e4. (don't count this post)

I think 1 Nf3 would be a flexible compromise between 1 e4 and 1 d4. However, seeing that 1 d4 is the closest to what I'm used to, I voted for that.

I would suggest a modification to this idea. Rather than have a single poll where we take whatever move gets the most votes, it makes sense to me to spend 5 days voting on an initial slate of moves and then 2 days on a "run-off" between the best 2 [unless one move has more than 50% of the vote.]

You could easily get into a situation where, say 40% of a group want one move, 35% want another and 25% want a third but where the 25% who want the third DO NOT WANT the first and would prefer to go with the one that 35% vote on.

To take an example, let's pretend that c4 and Nf3 were also options in this poll [which they aren't, but in the future such a possibility might exist.]
I believe we would all agree that there is a camp of people who would be roughly happy with any of the three moves {d4, c4, Nf3} but would not want e4, and another group that would like e4 but not any of those other 3. Well, the 3 moves that are of a similar ilk split the vote of the {d4,c4,Nf3} camp so that even if more people want one of those 3, the one that wins the plurality but not the majority [e4] would prevail.

If one move actually gets a majority [as e4 currently has], the above is moot.

Hmm, I thought about that as well and that seems like a way to go.

If any move gets a >50% score (which would be ideal), that's our move. If not, we'll choose between the most significant options after x days. (provided of course a fair ammount of votes go to discarded moves).

As things are now:
1. b4 = 6.25%
1. c4 = 12.50%
1. d4 = 25%
1. e4 = 56.25%
1. f4 = 0%
1. Nf3 = 0%
1. e3 = 0%
1. d3 = 0%
1. c3 = 0%
1. Nc3 = 0%
1. b3 = 0%
1. g3 = 0%
1. ... {other} = 0%

Like I said, you can vote by voting the poll for b4, c4, d4, e4 & f4, if you want to vote for any of the others, type it out and post it here.
Now, I'm not sure whether to put x on 5 or 7..

compromise and put it on 6

How dutch of you!

I think going with 5 and 2 is a good setup...people have 5 days to vote and/or hear people's reasoning and then 2 days for the runoff.

Sounds good to me....