There are many reasons you might enter CPK Duel but when you forget something and enter CPK Duel, you're only concentrating on one thing: Survival. The easiest way to get a draw in CPK Duel is to stay in the safe rooms or drop link. However, using these tactics are extremely cowardly and wimpy. Also, droping link to avoid being pked is illegal, and if a god catches you, you'll get a greater punishment than being looted. For those who have more guts, a wide number of possibilities are open for those who still want to get a draw in CPK Duel. Of course, this article is also a double edged sword, in which people who read this might be able to find their target a lot easier...
Before CPKing, you might want to ask a clannie to introduce you to the CPK Duel arena. Also a game of CPK Duel tag might also help tune your searching and hiding skills. The CPK Duel arena is a scary place when you don't know where you are or where you're going... People can prepare all they want, but unless they've been in a CPK Duel several times, they don't know what to expect.
There are many general tips that one has to remember in CPK Duel. One can never use where to find their opponent in CPK. Track doesn't work in CPK. Casting teleport to get away from your enemy is useless, and wastes your mana and one combat round. Always to remember to turn on sneak and cast invis again after fighting with your opponent. Never, ever drop link in CPK Duel when you are dead.
There are may good places to hide in CPK Duel, but one of the best is rooms with a single door exit. Not only you get an advance warning when your opponent is gonna enter the room, but you also have a good chance of running and evading your opponent when he finds you (since there is only one way to flee). However, if you're dueling a mage, you have to be careful of the mage using the ethereal spell, which lets them pass through doors without opening them.
If you're fighting a spellcaster, a really good option is to wait in the room called: "Icehouse of the Keep." To reach this room from the safe room in back of the keep, go: s,e,s,e,2s,2e,4n. To reach this room from the safe room in front of the keep go: w,n,w,2n,2e,d,7n. That room is an anti-magic room, which means they can't cast any spells in that room, recite any scrolls, or use any potions. That alone gives you a huge edge in that room. This is also good if your opponent is packing some books of exalted deeds, considering they can't use those books in this room. However, this is also a double edged sword, because you can't use any items to heal you in this room. Also, people like to ambush you after you leave the Icehouse of the Keep, by waiting outside, removing their light, and hiding.
You fighting someone who can't cast levitate or isn't carrying a boat on them? Then the best place to hide is a couple of rooms called: "A Cloudy Pond." These rooms may only be reached with levitate or a boat. If your opponent doesn't have either, they they're out of luck.
Another good strategy is to hide the very top level of the Keep. Not very many people visit this floor of the keep. An added bonus of this place is that it's a very good spot for scan and farsight.
Speaking of Farsight and scan, if you have those spells, they really come in handy when trying to avoid your opponent. Scan works good when you're at a intersection with many exits and farsight works extremely good when you're at the end of a long corridor. While CPK Dueling, make sure you always have detect invisibility on. Sense life also helps, as some low levels can't see sneakers. I would recommend buying a couple potions of truesight, which casts 'Detect invisibility, Sense Life, and Detect Evil.'
Remember to keep your wimpy all the way up, to flee even if you are attacked, and also don't forget to sneak and cast invisiblity. Try to cast quickness or bring an amulet of haste along with you, as it helps you get through rooms faster. A couple scrolls of refresh (any mage with scribe can make some), will also come in handy. You might want to conjure up an elemental either to be a backstab shield, or as a melee damage shield.
By the way, certain rooms in CPK Duel are no flee rooms, don't get caught in those. There are also some secret rooms in CPK Duel, either by illusionary walls or secret doors... But I'll leave it up to you to find those.