How to prepare for a handicap game (queen odds) / strategy? I made a bet with a non-neglegible stake that I will win a game against a friend without queen. My Elo rating is about 2000-2100, my friend's should be around 1400. Today I played with the black pieces with a rook odds and I won.

He didn't make big blunders and he played the opening quite well (e4, developed both knights and the white bishop and sacrificed on f7 for my 2nd rook), but he got lost in the middle game and did not know what to do.

These are my observations:

1) He knows that he wants to exchange as many pieces as possible even with slight material costs.

2) He knows how to play the standard textbook e4 - e5 opening, but I guess he is not familiar with other openings.

3) He didn't make huge blunders, so I cannot expect to sacrifice pieces and win in the opening phase.

4) The middle and endgame should be the parts of the game where he is less experienced.

5) I expect him to be weak in tactics and to loose pawns in not-obvious situations.

When I play without a rook odds, I try to keep the lines closed or to play with white a really aggressive e4, f4. However, I don't want to go into e4, since he knows that opening to a certain extent. I would rather go for c4, which is my standard opening. Ideally I would like to go for opposite castling with a pawns attack.

What should be my strategy for that game? / How can I prepare for that game?

In which variant of the english opening is it difficult for a beginner to exploit a queen?
Years ago my club in England ran a handicap tournament in the summer, which I organised and also played in. Had you and your friend been members, I think you would have played at Queen odds, or maybe Rook plus time handicap. In our tournaments the odds-givers did surprisingly well. Here is some advice based on that, although your own list is already pretty good.


Dont go for a briliancy. If it happens it happens, but dont set your sights on it.
Done even go for active development. Pieces out in the middle get exchanged off. Keep things closed, but retain the option to open them up.
Dont set up direct threats unless they are well hidden or unstoppable. You may just force him to make good moves.
Set up an unfamiliar situation in the opening. I had good results with 1. b3. English could be good also. And it still is an English without your Queen. You just wont be playing book lines.
Keep central control and identify important squares. 
Stay mobile and flexible. Steadily improve your position. Wait for the opponent to make mistakes. He will. You are correct that he will not make good plans. He will be reluctant to sacrifice.


Playing like this you will probably win some material about once in every ten moves. Wait until material is fairly equal before you try for a mating attack.