The UK's top gaming clans are getting the chance to face each other in public and find out who is the best of the best.

The teams will take each other on at a pro-gaming tournament in December and compete for a prize fund of �25,000.

The organisers are hoping to attract a crowd of spectators who will be able to follow the matches on a giant Imax screen.

The invitation-only event is being bankrolled by chip giant Intel and will be held at London's Science Museum.

Killing for cash

The clans will be competing in three games; Counter-Strike, Return to Castle Wolfenstein and Warcraft III.

Red Dwarf star Chris Barrie will host the event

The first two reward team tactics and fast trigger fingers while Warcraft is a battle strategy game set in a fantasy world.

The winning clan, or team, will be crowned Intel Masters 2002.

Pro-gaming, in which players get rewarded with cash for winning tournaments, is slowly but surely establishing itself around the world.

The World Cyber Games in Korea is now a regular established event and many smaller events for significant amounts of cash are regularly held around the world.

Gaming online

Earlier this year Intel UK announced sponsorship of gaming clan Four-Kings who will be competing in the frag-fest.

Host for the event will be Chris Barrie, who played Rimmer in science fiction comedy series Red Dwarf.

"The Intel Masters will show professional computer gaming's ability to create passion and atmosphere amongst its competitors and fans similar to that associated with professional sport," said Intel spokesman David Mitchell.

To make the match fairer all the competing clans will use the same computer equipment, all supplied by Intel.

Mr Mitchell said that online gaming was fast becoming hugely popular in the UK. In March 2002 almost 3.5 million gamers were playing each other via online sites.

Up to 400 spectators will be able to watch the action on the huge Imax screen at the museum.

The game tournament will be held on 21 December in the Wellcome Wing at the Science Museum.