Friday, 29th March 2024 07:44
Home / Uncategorized / EPT11 Malta: Everyone has a favourite Artem Litvinov moment

Brynn Kenney has the best memory in poker. He knows it and everyone else should know it too. He was grinning mind, so he might have been exaggerating. But the point he was making was this: he could never forget an Artem Litvinov celebration.

Over the years these little moments have been retold by many a player and press-man alike. When you see it, it’s like seeing fireworks for the first time. It’s hard to define in words that aren’t very obvious and childlike.

“I don’t know what it was,” Kenney said. “It was like a ninja-type back flip…”

At which point he trailed off, words failing him.

Laughing through all of this was Litvinov himself. He’s been running the show for much of the afternoon. He had decided to split the table into “teams”, pitching one end of the table against another. It was all for fun, obviously, but at least one player was cast into doubt as to how he should proceed when Litvinov protested and everybody laughed. But the Russian was impressed that Kenney could remember a specific celebration that happened three years ago.

“Of course I remember,” said Kenney.

Litvinov was at liberty to show a little pride in hearing people recall their best memories of him (Pratyush Buddiga recalled press ups). Several years on the EPT have improved his English and he sought to explain why he does impromptu performances.

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Artem Litvinov: Table captain

“If I win, emotionally I’m not I’m not thinking what you’re thinking,” he said. He was also now above decorum.

“If you’re a good guy…” at this point he put on a very straight face, demonstrated an understanding not to make a defeated player feel any worse. “If you’re a bad guy…” Now he made “woooo!” noises, and mined waving his shirt above his head.

Kenney couldn’t agree more. And who hasn’t felt like that?

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Stephen Bartley is a staff writer for the PokerStars Blog.

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