[MaxWilson]

Boots of Flying do seem to be the answer, combined with the patience you learn in chess: first counter his possible moves before trying to smash his armies. You may end up defending some provinces unnecessarily (wasting a turn with your SC), but it's better than letting him penetrate your perimeter and wasting *more* turns pinning him down. Presumably you can find some kind of a chokepoint that's no more 2 or 3 provinces wide and hold that, which frees up your other SCs for a counter-strike (which is where Boots of Flying helps, since you can attack at the end of your movement).

Keeping your economy healthy seems to be important, too, building temples on newly-conquered land if you have good scales, gem-searching, and playing Sherman's-March-to-the-Sea if you have a weaker neighbor you can raid with a small army.

That's all I've come up with so far. Patience and the economy.

-Max