A quintet of noted poker pros has been confirmed for the second annual World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE), which gets underway next month in London, England.

Professional poker players Phil “Poker Brat” Hellmuth Jr., Chris “Jesus” Ferguson, Erick “E-Dog” Lindgren, Daniel “Kid Poker” Negreanu and Jen “No Nickname” Harman have committed to the event, which will be held in a London casino.

They aren’t the only big-name poker players who are expected to attend the WSOPE, however, they are just the first ones to announce their intentions to compete.

World-class player Doyle “Texas Dolly” Brunson, for example, hasn’t announced whether he plans to cross the pond and play in London, but it’s likely he will, as he was at last year’s inaugural WSOPE.

Plus, Brunson has won 10 World Series of Poker (WSOP) championship gold bracelets in his career, one fewer than career-leader Hellmuth’s 11, and likely won’t want to give the “Poker Brat” a chance to increase that WSOP/WSOPE bracelet lead without the wily Texan also being on hand.

Also expected to be in attendance at the 2008 WSOPE is Annette Obrestad, the Norwegian teenager who won the 2007 WSOPE Main Event.

At age 18 she was the youngest person ever to win a WSOP or WSOPE event, and it’s unlikely she won’t be back to defend her title in the 2008 WSOPE Main Event.

Meanwhile, Hellmuth has told a Wisconsin newspaper that he likes the changes that were made for the second edition of the WSOPE.

Referring to the recent announcements that this year’s WSOPE will take place in just one London casino instead of three as happened last year, and that ESPN will televise the WSOPE this time, Hellmuth said of WSOPE owner Harrah’s: “Harrah’s has obviously put effort into making a lot of improvements to the event.”

The prickly poker pro then added: “I would like to make history by being the first American to win a bracelet in Europe.”

(E-mail Tom Somach at [email protected].)