1v1 match making

so i recently started playing the game after a few months break, I fell from 1380 elo down to 1150, on the way back up im being accused of being a smurf when i play well

BUT ive faced a number of players with 1500+ matches, without any major breaks.. and find those games nearly impossible..

so im beating guys with <400 matches fairly easily yet facing players with 1500+ at the same elo, and they peaked at something like 1250.. I cant imagine they are all smurfs, how does someone play so many matches yet not go up in elo? and these are guys 1 tricking civs as well (eg china or franks) so we cant blame it on random handicapping them