Questions about stockfish.
Sort:
My Stockfish also seems to like the French. It initially alternates between 1...e6 and 1...e5, but later usually settles in with the French. However, I think several factors may contribute to the choice; the contempt setting, whether multi-PV is set, and the number of threads. For example, if I set multi-PV to something like 3, after a while it will switch to the Sicilian.
If you want Stockfish to play a variety of responses to 1.e4, you'll have to install an opening book into Arena or Stockfish. The opening book will determine the responses and the weighting of the moves.
I'm just wondering, everytime I play against stockfish with e4 as white, it always replies with the french defence after I let it analyze for a while. Is this normal, or is it just my stockfish? If so, why? Does stockfish analyze the french as the best response to e4?
By the way, I'm using both the latest development build AND the default version from the stockfish main website and they both use french defence against e4. I'm also using Arena chess GUI in pair with stockfish. Thank you in advance for any answers.