BBO Hall of Fame - Leo LaSota, BBO: Leo LaSota
A name familiar to many in the bridge world, Leo LaSota has long combined speed and skill at the table. Originally from Glen Burnie, Maryland, Leo first made his mark in junior events, representing the USA at the University Cup in Maastricht in 2000.
In 2002, he won the National Fast Open Pairs, a fitting title for a player widely known as the fastest player in the game. While Leo has always had the talent to succeed at high levels, he’s also balanced a full-time career outside of bridge. That, along with the simple appeal of playing from home, led him to focus much of his energy online, particularly on BBO, where he has been a well know name for years.
In 2020, Leo set a remarkable ACBL record: the highest number of masterpoints earned in a single year (8,320), with the vast majority won online. He has won the most ACBL online points for 13 of the last 15 years. He plays so fast that he typically spends under an hour a day. He wins a very high percent of the games that he plays.
Currently, he has over 60,000 masterpoints. This includes ~10,000 live points.
More recently, Leo has regularly participated in top level events with renewed enthusiasm. He’s been spotted at tournaments across Europe, including a recent trip to Poland that left him eager for more. He regularly attends American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) nationals. He won the Spring 2025 Jacoby Swiss teams, where his team led the field from start to finish. It is very unusual for a team to lead for the duration of day two. He has two ACBL national wins so far. He plays regularly with other top players and with clients.
Now based in Hawaii and living what many would call the dream, Leo continues to play wherever and whenever the opportunity arises.