I can sort of confirm that. I never learned all the formal theoretical standard chess strategies except for the basic ones. So when playing against really good players, way above my level, I could win sometimes (or allmost) simply by making unconventional (dumb by normal strategy) moves in the beginning - resulting in a non standard game where I could apply pressure in a way the opponent was not prepared for (also they underestimated me after the initial dumb moves). For me, the unconventional game was just like a standard game, I had no routine - but for the experienced one, it was way more challenging. But then of course in the standard situations, to which allmost every chess game evolves to - they destroyed me, simply for experience and routine.