Littlewoods is offering players who register with its online poker business - LittlewoodsPoker.com - the chance to set up their own, private online tournaments, which they can invite their friends to join.

With poker steadily rising in popularity, more and more people across the UK are starting to set up their own regular poker nights with friends and work colleagues. However, many players often face weeks of careful planning to create a tournament, as their opponents live in different locations.

Using the private play function players can determine the amount of money needed to buy-in to the tournament, as well as setting a limit on how much is bet on each hand. It also allows players to regulate who joins their tournament - allowing them to play against trusted friends rather than trying their luck against strangers.