Liem (Elo 2711) has been promoted to the top seed after Chinese Wang Hao (Elo 2726) decided to withdraw from the competition at the last minute.
The nine-day event brings together 150 players from 36 countries and territories, playing according to the nine-round Swiss system. The first-round matches are scheduled at 9.15pm today (Vietnamese time).
The tournament offers US$50,000 up for grabs, with the overall champion receiving US$13,000.
Quang Liem recently joined his junior compatriot Nguyen Anh Khoi to attend the 2019 Sharjah Masters in the UAE, during which he ended up in 20th position out of 150 contestants with six points after five wins, two draws and two losses. The Dubai Open is seen as an opportunity for the Vietnamese star to reclaim the eight Elo points that he was deducted following his unsuccessful performance in Sharjah.
Meanwhile, 17-year-old Nguyen Anh Khoi (Elo 2484) is also expected to excel in the 2019 Dubai Open as he attempts to get additional grandmaster standards to officially obtain the title of International Grandmaster.
