English Chess Forum

Hi.
My opponent is rated 400+ points higher than me, so how to prepare?

Pray?

I have won players of his calibre before

Then you have nothing to worry about. Just forget his grade.

Play aggressively, either he gets confused and loses, or he wins quickly. If you play carefully, he will win, but maybe slowly.

Where possible, look at his games on a database beforehand.

I agree with all the points that Kevin has made. Play the board not the person. I enjoy playing people far stronger than myself. The pressure is on them to win.
Remember the famous quote by American President Roosevelt ( I think it was from his inauguration of 1932)
" The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself "..

The general advice if you want to increase your chances of winning an individual game is to head for imbalanced, complex positions where there is more chance that the stronger player will go wrong.
However, if this kind of chess is not your natural game, I'm not sure it's the best advice. You will probably just make a tactical error and lose. It may be a better learning experience to play your normal game, whatever that is.

I agree. Mainly, keep the game complex and tactical with a lot of tension in the position. I remember my best wins have come as the result of this. Although I have had the odd draw against very strong opposition in very positional games.
Psychologically it is a good idea to look and feel confident before and during the game. Also when the game is finished, it is worth asking if he or she can go through the game with you.

Go for a walk to clear your airways and brain. FOLLOW advice here. PLUS chess for tigers chapter on trapping heffalumps.

It is also worth purchasing a couple of chess puzzle books to improve your tactical awareness and sharpness. I usually have a half an hour read earlier in the day before a match against a player who is a lot stronger than me. The most important thing is to enjoy the game.