Russian (?) name

#28 -- Yes. Whoever heard of a Jewish chess player, after all?

(The tone may not come through here. I'm not criticizing either Kasparov or iviehoff, just the absurdity of a society that causes a chess player to gentilify his name.)

My Russian teacher, zashibis, left Russia just before the Revolution.

Now that I think back on what I wrote above, though, I am reminded that on occasion I have been 100% sure of things only to be proved wrong. My memory sometimes twists things over the years. It may be that I have replaced the true sound of Tolstoy's given name with the sound of the patronymic derived from it.

Thanks for reminding me of my fallibility.

NorthAmerican, probably what you remember is a diminutive of Lev, which is Lyova, with ё in Russian.

My Russian teacher, zashibis, left Russia just before the Revolution.

Wow, I had no idea zashibis was so old! (I'd put a smiley in here but I don't think that's allowed on SiT.)

Thanks, zhp. That may explain it, and it allows me a graceful exit. (Bows as the curtain falls.)