Let's assume your name is Lojza and you're facing TheViper in the finals of a 1v1 tournament.
Your chances of winning are not that high when you stick to the standard game, simply because your opponent is much better in 95% of the regular matches.
What can you do to improve your odds?
1. If the choice of maps is up to you, don't go for the obvious choice. Even if Arabia normally is your home map, chances are high your opponent outplays you. Practise a lot on a less common one. Also focus on maps that may improve your luck regarding resource placement, like Nomad/Migration. It's a bit cheap, but you need all the help you can get. Don't forget about your restart and don't hesitate to use it.
2. If the choice of (mirrored) civ is up to you, go for the less obvious choice as well. Check the Voobly stats for what your opponent doesn't prefer.
3. Forget about drushing. Disturbing eco is nice, but you need the all or nothing approach; an offence that your opponent won't be able to recover from, so better save your resources for that one attempt.
4. Go for the early (but not Dark Age) attack and keep the pressure on. Don't let your opponent boom and play his own game. Take the risk of an early forward/surprise landing and don't use just one villager. Adjust your build order to support this all or nothing attempt.
5. Lame whenever your can. Wall in resources, steal boars and kill deer. Thousands of $$$ are at stake, so no one will blame you.
Edit: removed point 6.
The above of course won't guarantee the victory, but even if you still lose 60-80% of the time, this means you win 20-40%, which is much better than your normal 5% chance.
Go for the fast victory and if you lose at least you went down with a good fight instead of being hopelessly behind during castle/imp. Have a plan in mind from the first second and stick to it. It's for you to make the difference, so don't be scared to take major risks.
Feel free to criticize, add and discuss.
Your chances of winning are not that high when you stick to the standard game, simply because your opponent is much better in 95% of the regular matches.
What can you do to improve your odds?
1. If the choice of maps is up to you, don't go for the obvious choice. Even if Arabia normally is your home map, chances are high your opponent outplays you. Practise a lot on a less common one. Also focus on maps that may improve your luck regarding resource placement, like Nomad/Migration. It's a bit cheap, but you need all the help you can get. Don't forget about your restart and don't hesitate to use it.
2. If the choice of (mirrored) civ is up to you, go for the less obvious choice as well. Check the Voobly stats for what your opponent doesn't prefer.
3. Forget about drushing. Disturbing eco is nice, but you need the all or nothing approach; an offence that your opponent won't be able to recover from, so better save your resources for that one attempt.
4. Go for the early (but not Dark Age) attack and keep the pressure on. Don't let your opponent boom and play his own game. Take the risk of an early forward/surprise landing and don't use just one villager. Adjust your build order to support this all or nothing attempt.
5. Lame whenever your can. Wall in resources, steal boars and kill deer. Thousands of $$$ are at stake, so no one will blame you.
Edit: removed point 6.
The above of course won't guarantee the victory, but even if you still lose 60-80% of the time, this means you win 20-40%, which is much better than your normal 5% chance.
Go for the fast victory and if you lose at least you went down with a good fight instead of being hopelessly behind during castle/imp. Have a plan in mind from the first second and stick to it. It's for you to make the difference, so don't be scared to take major risks.
Feel free to criticize, add and discuss.