As a new Chrome user, I wanted a plain, white blank page to start my web browsing. What I got by default was the Google tab view page. Here is how you set a blank startup page for Chrome:
1) Settings -> On Startup -> Open a specific page or set of pages.
2) Click Set pages to open Startup Pages window
3) Click the X to delete what you find there.
4) In the field for Add a New Page, enter: about:blank
5) Click OK to save the change.
Now completely close out of Chrome, and restart it. You should be brought to a blank page.