I managed to win as Timurids in a 1v1 vs. the Ottoman Empire in a 1419 GC, but the general consensus seems to be that the OE has the advantage in a contest like this. Normal difficulty, weak AI aggressiveness was used.
You can probably get a balanced 1v1 with many two-country combinations if the stronger country must be bid for by bidding the amount of a mandatory gift that the stronger country must pay the weaker one, even if it requires the stronger country to take out multiple loans and go bankrupt.
I tried this once in a MP game it was quite fun. I as Lithuania annexed all of Russia and the GH and before the Polish player knew what was happening had outclipsed him by a long shot. Then he tried to invade me thinking that I would fall apart, alas he was mistaken. But me being a nice man I actually gave him back his provinces and even payed him some money to help his realm. I think this was my most enjoyable game, we also had a Papal States player who spent the whole time calling mock crusades which I aided him in, thus erning me the nick Defender of the Faith.
