Foundation Player

World Grandmaster, World Life Master

Piotr Lutostański

Bridge Beginnings

He started playing contract bridge at the age of 7, when chess was no longer enough for him.

The beginnings of his journey in competitive bridge trace back to the Stanisław Staszic High School. He went to check it out on the recommendation of his math teacher; when he saw the display case with information about the bridge club and tournaments, he knew immediately where he wanted to continue his studies.

Piotr Lutostański
Piotr Lutostański

Bridge Achievements

He earned numerous medals in the Polish Championships across various junior categories. Internationally, he won a bronze medal for Poland at the European Team Championships for players under 20. In the under-25 category, luck was not on his side: 4th place. At the World Team Championships, he placed 4th; 4th in the World Pairs Championships and 6th in the Individual Championships. In the open and mixed categories, he also won multiple medals in the Polish Championships, and in 2022, together with Krzysztof Buras, they won the World Pairs Championship with the largest margin over the second-place pair in the competition’s history: they led the second pair by more than the second pair led the 19th. The following year, representing Poland, they achieved a 5th place finish at the World National Teams Championships.

Return to Bridge After a 20-Year Break

He resumed playing with Krzysiek in 2021 after a 20-year break (they had played together for two junior seasons). Ever since his daughter was born, Piotr had gradually played less, eventually taking a complete break for several years before starting to return to the game in 2018.

Author of Bridge Conventions

Piotr is the author of numerous bidding conventions that have gained popularity both domestically and internationally. He is particularly known for his work on the extensive application of transfers in contested bidding, at a time when only a few pairs used them in limited sequences.

Piotr Lutostański
Piotr Lutostański

Professional Work - Financial Markets

Piotr belongs to a group of bridge players who combine their passion for the game with demanding professional careers. His specialty is in financial markets. He often says it’s very similar to bridge, only much more challenging and random. Decision-making under uncertainty and developing systemic solutions to complex problems are his favorite challenges. He is the CEO of FTF Columbus, an investment company, and the Chief Economist for the Michał Sołowow Capital Group.

Skills and Focus

Piotr believes that not only are skills important, but perhaps even more crucial is the ability to utilize them effectively. To maintain peak concentration for as long as possible, he takes great care of his sleep, diet, and other details.