Who Are We?

PERSONALLY

Giorgia Botta was born and raised in Rome, Italy until the age of 25.

Giorgia has been playing bridge since the age of 11. She started playing thanks to her parents, both passionate players. Fortunately, Rome is a prestigious bridge city – with some of the best players in the country and some of the best in the World – making it easier for young passionate players to learn from the best.

All of her bridge travel experiences, together with the relevant bridge related results, led Giorgia to the decision of leaving Italy and moving to New York with the hope of finding America in the bridge world.

PROFESSIONALLY:

In February 2015 Giorgia moved to NYC where she has thus far established herself as a regular professional player and teacher and quickly grew great relationships with many players and clubs.

Since moving to the United States, Giorgia has participated in numerous competitions -National and International - achieving remarkable results.

Among the most prestigious a Bronze medal in the 2023 European Open Mixed Team Championship, representing the United States Women’s Teams at the 2023 World Championships in Marrakesh, Morocco and representing the United States again in the Mixed Teams at the 2025 World Championships in Herning where the team finish fourth just off the podium. Other notable results: winner of the 2025 Wernher Pairs at the Philadelphia Nationals; 2nd place in the Mitchell Open BAM; 2nd place in the Freeman Mixed BAM and 2nd place in the Mixed Team Trials.

PERSONALLY

John was born and raised in New York City. His first passion was tennis; he played at top levels in the juniors and Division One college tennis. He also learned the rules of bridge at a very young age from his father and grandmother. After graduating from Princeton University in 1992, he returned to NYC and pursued tournament bridge, being mentored by some of the best players the city had to offer. Following careers in options trading and film, the latter of which took him across the country to Los Angeles, in 2016 he transitioned to teaching and playing bridge full-time.

PROFESSIONALLY

Since he decided to make bridge his vocation, John has established himself as one of Los Angeles’s premier teachers, holding regular classes at both public and private clubs all over the city and building up a devoted client base. In addition, he’s a top tournament player, having won the Grand National Teams Flight A in back-to-back years representing two different districts (2008 and 2009). In Open National events, he has four Top 5 finishes: the 2017 Keohane Swiss Teams (5th place with Mitch Towner), the 2019 Nail Life Master Pairs (4th place with the now-youngest ever Grand Life Master Finn Kolesnik), the 2019 Blue Ribbon Pairs (3rd place again with Kolesnik), and the 2022 Grand National Teams Open Flight (semifinals again with Kolensik).

PERSONALLY

Christopher Rivera was born and raised in Milwaukee, WI, where, among other things, he learned bridge from his maternal grandmother at a young age. Throughout grade school and high school, he was an avid equestrian, riding and showing Hunt Seat. He earned a degree in Physics from Lawrence University, for which he also fenced varsity foil. Following college, he chose to pursue a career in the film industry as an agent and manager of writers. He spent a decade in Los Angeles, but then took a job in publishing in New York City. While he dabbled in bridge throughout his life, it was not until his move to New York, where he has lived for more than twenty years, that he began to play tournament bridge.

PROFESSIONALLY

Christopher is a skilled player, with numerous firsts in regional events, and a top ten finish in the NABC+ Open Pairs in Toronto in 2024, he is perhaps best recognized as a teacher and director. He served as manager of Manhattan Bridge Club for several years until its merger with Honors Bridge Club, which created the largest bridge club in the US. He served as assistant head director of Honors until 2020. Christopher teaches private clients throughout New York City, as well as online. He is also a tournament director for the ACBL