Columns | May 22, 2009 19:23  What baby names can tell you about
chess openings  Baby names and chess openingsIf you have kids,
you've probably thought hard about how to name your child.
Should you choose a 'special' kind of name, or rather a very
trendy or well-known one? Popularity is an important aspect when
it comes to choosing virtually anything. The same goes for chess
openings: do you want to go for popular main lines or for 'off
beat' variations?  Both options come with their own advantages
and disadvantages. A trendy baby name may suggest a popular baby
- and trendy parents - but a special name will suggest a special
child. Likewise, playing a trendy chess opening will imply
theoretical knowledge and opting for an obscure variation will
suggest more independence and creativity. A lot has been written
about the popularity of baby names (see, for example, the
chapter 'What's in a name' in Steven Pinker's recent book The
Stuff of Thought and the chapter 'Would a Roshanda by any other
name smell as sweet