Method for operating an applied-ignition internal combustion engine having at least two cylinders (1, 2, 3, 4), in which at least two cylinders (1, 2, 3, 4) are configured so as to form at least two groups with in each case at least one cylinder (1, 2, 3, 4), - the at least one cylinder (2, 3) of at least one group being formed as a cylinder (2, 3) which can be activated in a load-dependent manner and which is deactivated if a predefinable load is undershot, - the at least two groups being characterized by different cylinder volumes V i, - the at least one cylinder (1, 4) of a first group having a cylinder volume V 1 and the at least one cylinder (2, 3) of a second group having a cylinder volume V 2, where V 2 > V 1, and - the at least one cylinder (2, 3) of the second group being formed as an activatable cylinder, in which the at least one cylinder (2, 3) of the second group - is deactivated if a predefinable load T down is undershot, and - is activated if a predefinable load T up is exceeded, characterized in that - the at least two groups are characterized by different compression ratios ε i, the at least one cylinder (1, 4) of the first group having a compression ratio ε 1 and the at least one cylinder (2, 3) of the second group having a compression ratio ε 2, where ε 2 < ε 1, the air ratio λ of at least one cylinder group is reduced toward high loads T high, a high load T high being a load which amounts to 70% or more of the maximum load T max,n at the present rotational speed n, and the air ratio λ is reduced by means of an increase in the injected fuel quantity, and the cylinders (1, 2, 3, 4) of the at least two cylinder groups are operated with a different air ratio λ at least in one load range, the at least one cylinder (1, 4) of the first group being operated with an air ratio λ 1 and the at least one cylinder (2, 3) of the second group being operated with an air ratio λ 2 > λ 1. - the at least one cylinder (2, 3) of at least one group being formed as a cylinder (2, 3) which can be activated in a load-dependent manner and which is deactivated if a predefinable load is undershot, - the at least two groups being characterized by different cylinder volumes V i, - the at least one cylinder (1, 4) of a first group having a cylinder volume V 1 and the at least one cylinder (2, 3) of a second group having a cylinder volume V 2, where V 2 > V 1, and - the at least one cylinder (2, 3) of the second group being formed as an activatable cylinder, in which the at least one cylinder (2, 3) of the second group - is deactivated if a predefinable load T down is undershot, and - is activated if a predefinable load T up is exceeded, - the at least two groups are characterized by different compression ratios ε i, the at least one cylinder (1, 4) of the first group having a compression ratio ε 1 and the at least one cylinder (2, 3) of the second group having a compression ratio ε 2, where ε 2 < ε 1, the air ratio λ of at least one cylinder group is reduced toward high loads T high, a high load T high being a load which amounts to 70% or more of the maximum load T max,n at the present rotational speed n, and the air ratio λ is reduced by means of an increase in the injected fuel quantity, and the cylinders (1, 2, 3, 4) of the at least two cylinder groups are operated with a different air ratio λ at least in one load range, the at least one cylinder (1, 4) of the first group being operated with an air ratio λ 1 and the at least one cylinder (2, 3) of the second group being operated with an air ratio λ 2 > λ 1.