The secret to success is speed. Go fast, if possible your first move should be to literally move all from your starting cell to overtake their starting cell, from their gain ground as fast as possible focusing on x2 repro cells and x2 strength. Easy after that :)
you have to slash towards his legs in order to get him to jump, when he's in the air don't try to slash through him horizontally, if you go vertically through him your bound to get a hit on him, kinda like a reverse nike swoop.