I'm playing Artur Yusopov on Thursday night. Any sensible advice?

Try to avoid simplifying the position. In the two seconds or so he spends on your board, he will find it easier to find a plan / good move if there are fewer pieces.

If you manage to get to, say, move 20 without an obviously inferior position then try offering a draw. You never know, he might decide to make his task easier and concentrate his energy on the many other games he has yet to finish.

I agree with the above.

He is a 1.d4 player. Try Dutch, that's not his favorite opening.

I would find out what he plays as White and decide what to play in defence. Then just spend a couple of hours brushing up on that opening.

Of course being a simul he might play something random or outside his normal repertoire. For instance a lot of GMs alternate their opening moves. So they play e4 on board 1, d4 on board 2, c4 on board 3, Nf3 on board 4, then back to e4 on board 5... etc. But other GMs stick to their normal openings in every game.

Hopefully you'll get an opening that you're comfortable with. That's half the battle.

I've just seen Fat Lady's advice. I disagree about offering a draw. I once played an IM when I was a kid. I got a good position out of the opening and offered a draw around move 15. The IM immediately accepted it. Then he told me off, saying that a draw is not good enough in a simul and you should always play for a win!

I assume you know that the person giving the simul almost always plays White on every board? This means there's no point practising your favourite White opening!

Mr Tebb - you're right about the offering a draw advice, and I retract it. I once played a pretty good player (about 220 BCF) and got a fantastic position after 12 moves. I timidly offered a draw and he snatched my hand off, then proceded to demonstate how I could have won without any problems.

Actually, we're getting to choose colours, so I'll be white and playing 1.d4.

I think he plays 1...e6, and then after 2.c4 then either 2...Nf6 or 2....f5.

He has many recent games with Kings Indian as black. Often choses positional lines. How is your 1.e4? Expect a closed Ruy Lopez or petrov then. But you might find a way to open the game.

Originally posted by Mephisto2
He has many recent games with Kings Indian as black. Often choses positional lines. How is your 1.e4? Expect a closed Ruy Lopez or petrov then. But you might find a way to open the game.

very good luck, mate, and if you lose too badly, dont got too red, mike
*groans*
seriously though, try and build a very sly attack, and when its coming in for the kill, where he might normally see the plan, act like your losing the plot, shake your head and seem reluctant to move etc, so he thinks you are struggling
oh and stick to what you know, not what you think might throw him, because he might just stop, analyse the position and read more into it in a few seconds than you will