Chess forum by Grandmasters

Judging the Best Games of the Month

Was thinking that the judging happens behind closed doors and often there is no learning between the game being uploaded and members analysing it themselves. It might be interesting to stream the judging process to get GMs comments on our (hopefully amazing) play. It's probably too much of a task to do the whole lot in a session (I imagine it gets spread over the month), maybe when there is a shortlist of 10 or so games to go through the 10, comment on them before choosing the final 5 winners. Although this would kind of turn it into the Chess-Factor, perhaps a live-stream would mean the audience also gets to vote (those that can't make it could watch the event up to a few days after and cast their vote by direct message to Chessmood). Then the winners get announced - perhaps we won't go as far to have them record an 'Oscar' speech thanking their agent, family, pets... Could be fun and instructive.

What do you think?

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Suggestion !!

Hi GM Avetik, can we keep a new forum for SLP games as you did for the best games of the month

Then you can create some good video content on how players from different rating ranges did the slp and bluff and turned the tables in their favour

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That would be cool!

Interesting line the c3 Sicilian 5 Qxd4 8 Qe2 9 g3 (video 11)

10 Nh4 (instead of Bg2) is interesting. g6 is the obvious reply (Qh5+ is the threat) but interesting is to let the exchange go, with a similar line to the French. Looks like for the cost of a pawn, Black has a much better position.

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I'm not sure I've ever had anyone played this against me but you motivated me to look up this particular video and this b5 move is totally fascinating!

Benko Gambit - The e3 variation - move order issues

I'm getting the e3 variation more than anything! It's interesting to note that not always can we go for the Blumfeld-style e6 move as white can sort of move-order us out of this. I just got:

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. c4 c5. 4. d5 b5 5. cxb5 a6 6. e3, after which black has already commited to a king's side fianchetto. All in all an interesting game, though with a few major mistakes (blitz game!), so I'm sharing it with the team.

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e3 e6 line in the Benko advanced

The final video of the e3 section mentions about more information on the e6 line in the advanced section, but there isn't anything there at present. I'm assuming this is something to be added in future, and not an oversight? Would be useful to also see a model game of g6, Bg7, O-O, d6 against e3 as well.

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Same with additional material in the 5. Nc3 with Qa5 lines and 5. f3 with Qa5 lines.

I also asked this before you.GM Avetik said there will be an update at the future.Also updates are started with other courses.We should wait for a while :/

Guys, I'm going crazy already :) 
I said earlier, that Benko and Acc. Dragon I'm recording, adding more model games, and changing some variations, fixing at the same time mistakes :) 

At the same time, I'm adding other courses, in openings, new sections, new middlegame and endgame courses. 
I can't do all together. 
Please give me a time :) 

For anyone who might be interested, I arranged an engine match betwen Stockfish 13 and Komodo 11, in the position arising after 5. e3 e6 6. Nc3. The time control was 3+0 and the first game with Stockfish playing black was drawn. I expected Stockfish to win the next game, playing white, especially as I saw Komodo improvising a novelty with 9.. Ne4. The game, however, eventually seemed quite equal, but with the clock ticking the game turned dramatic. First, Stockfish got a winning advantage, but feeling both the time pressure and the high expecations from the chess world, from move 114 onwards Stockfish started to misplay and eventually it was Komodo that came up on top!

Proper Way to Study Chess at Intermediate-Advanced level.

Hello. Recently, I am having a very hard time figuring out the best way to study. I don't know whether to analyze games, solve puzzles, play games, read books, or study openings. By the time I make up my mind, a good deal of time I could have been using for training has evaporated. As the title says, I would consider myself intermediate-advanced level. Does anyone have any ideas?

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1) Prepare your Openings.

2) Test what you have learned in some training games.

3) Review the games afterwards and determine what went right, what went wrong and what other aspects of your play/knowledge needs to be worked on.

4) Rinse and repeat.

What approx rating do you consider that to be? What are you weakest/er in? What causes the most losses? How do you learn the best?

I'm sure those who got through whatever barrier you have can answer, though I suspect it depends on the individual and you're going to have to try various things to see what works.

From the sounds of it you need to spend (most) time on one or more things until they improve rather than a little of everything as soon as the next shiny thing presents itself.

One other thing, maybe booking a 1-1 call if you are new and haven't had one yet will give you a GM's perspective on this?

Mistakes in the 1600-1800 range (from 1900 perspective)

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On avoiding tactics and not playing on an advantage - it's worth looking at the earlier streams about the suggested improvements for Chessmood players (an event that would be really useful to do again!).

One of GM Avetik's comments was:
When your opponent makes a mistake, you need to be aggressive - no cat and mouse - [become a] wild animal!

This is very true, and remains true at the 1900 and above level as well. Sometimes you'll over push and lose because of it, but better to have lost and improved your feel than not tried and petered out into a draw moves later after (anyway) flawed positional moves.

Mistake in Caro-Kann 5... Qc7 8... Bd6 9. f3 Bxh2 trap and other analysis

At 3:00 the video (20) says h2 cannot be taken because of 10. Kh1 and a bishop will be won. However after 10... Bf5 11. Bxf5 exf5 it gives the erroneous 12. Nf4+?? - K moves?? then 13. Kxh2. The thing is that if Black plays g5 now 14. Qg3 gxf4 15. Bxf4 Qd7 and 16. Qg7 winning for White as the rook is trapped. Instead of moving the king, after 12. Nf4+?? Nge7! and now 13. Kxh2 g5, 14. Qg3 gxf4 15. Bxf4 Qe7 16. Qg7  does not trap the rook, and White is still better, but not a piece up and winning now.

The alternative given to 12. Nf4+, 12. Ng3+ does work, as does 12. g3 (if Bxg3 13. Qxg3 and the queens come off as g7 is attacked) which may even be slightly better.

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Also in the discussion at about 6:10 it fails to note that after Bxh2, that after protecting e6, there is no need for trapping the bishop as Rh8 is hanging, so after Rf8 and giving up the e pawn, f4 isn't possible anyway.

In the 8... Nf6 line, 9. f3 Bh5 10. Qh4 only Be7 is considered. If however 10... h6, there is no Bg5, g4 weakens the king and Qh3 is slightly better for White - too much optimism here.

In the 8... Bxe2 line, the plan f4 Nf3 Bd2 Ne5 Rae1 is suggested starting with 11... O-O 12. f4. The problem with f4 is that (following it exactly) Black now has an attack plan with g6 h5 Ne7 Kg7 Nf5

12. Nf3 might therefore be better, since g6 asks for 13. Bh6
12... h6 and 13. Bd2 with Rae1 Kg2 h4 and/or Ne5 maybe depending on what Black plays.

On the 9... Bd6 variation, 10. Qg4 seems to just get g6 as a response, which might be a concession, but White still has to do something about h2, and Black has not placed the King yet. This comes in at equal with the computer. However, 10. g3 going back to the previous line, Nf6 (what else, h6 just delays it a move) Nd2 transposes.

Good job, David. 

After 11...ef, 12.f4 would suffice, since recapturing on f4 with the knight will also net black's d pawn because of the e file pin against the black king if black blocks the check from e1 with a piece on e7. In the end we will have Bishop+5 against 6 pawns, which should provide very optimistic prospects to win the game.

Mastering Move Orders & Transpositions

I have noticed from perusing many of the posts on the forum that many members get easily confused and tricked when their opponents choose different move orders than the ones given in the ChessMood Courses. Recognising transpositions and setting move order traps is an important skill to master.

So how to eliminate this problem? Well the first step is to review ones Opening Repertoire carefully so that we have a clear Idea what setups we want to play and the ones we want to avoid. After that we need to commit to memory,  using pattern recognition,  the Key 'Opening Tabiyas'  (An 'Opening Tabiya'  is a standard opening position from which theory branches off in different directions) for the systems  we want to play. For example take the Exchange Caro;  Acc Dragon & Symmetrical English as shown in the diagrams below: 

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The three positions above form important tabiyas in our opening repertoire and should be imprinted in our minds, so far so good right. Now let's imagine these three positions are Shopping Malls, when we travel to the mall we always take the highway (main road), but what happens if the highway is closed, we have to familiarise ourselves with a new route right, and vow to learn alternate routes for other destinations as well, just in case we have to use them one day. You should do the same for all your main lines, that is, map out where all the alternate routes are hidden and use it to your advantage in your games. Note that Flank Openings are particularly treacherous territory for falling into move order traps.

Let's start with the Caro Tabiya - That position is more commonly reached via:  

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3  But observe.

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 c6?!  3.d4!? cxd5 4.Bd3 Back at our destination

1.e3!? e5 2.d4 exd4 3.exd4 d5 4.Bd3  We have our tabiya, but let's not get tricked into playing the Black side of this. :D

1.d4 c5 2.e3 cxd4 3.exd4 d5 4.Bd3 and Voila.

Accelerated Dragon Tabiya - Our normal route is:

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 However

1.Nf3 c5 2.e4 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6

1.d4 g6 2.Nf3 c5 3.e4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 [Note however we avoid this move order because of 4.Qxd4!?] 4...Nc6

Symmetrical English Tabiya:

1. c4 c5 2.Nf3 or 2.Nc3 or 2.g3 etc

1.Nf3 c5 and whatever white does now we are on familiar territory.

1.g3! A very tricky move and now we should be careful, if we carelessly play the natural 1...e5 then we can be easily move ordered out of our repertoire after 2.c4! transposing to a popular and theory heavy line of the English. Also 1...d5 will not satisfy our needs because after 2.d4 we could easily find ourselves on the Black side of the Catalan with no idea what to do next. So what is our move 1...c5 of course.

Thanks for your attention and I hope this thread has proven useful.

It's interesting, though I think this is half the topic.

As posted this is avoiding getting move-ordered, that is the opponent plays a different order of opening moves, and you need to chose moves (that depending on what the opponent plays next) will either transpose to something you do know, or give them an inferior position. The downside of getting it wrong is at best you get a line you're not so familiar with, worse if it's a big theory line particularly in a very different opening, and at worst your opponent is an expert on it and you're not.

The other half is the case I raised in the Sicilian Grand Prix. Here it's not that the opponent tries to move order you into something else (well there are dangers of ending in an open sicilian you didn't study), but in this case it's finding sometimes there is only one or two good moves that keep your advantage and other moves (often moves that are fine in other similar lines) flip the advantage to equal or Black is better. Think when you hear 'We play this move' on the webinars.

In the first case you are pattern matching. I know the pattern of the accelerated, the benko, the English and I'm trying to work out what moves fit with that pattern while preventing good moves that go into something else. Hence if Nf3 c5, since c5 allows the English, Maroczy, Sicilian Accelerated or Rossolimo, Benko. It's a family of openings where c5 is a common move, where as others are not common to all. You could in most cases work this out with never having seen the new opening before by saying 'are these moves played common moves for my openings' - as soon as you consider a move which isn't which gives your opponent a good looking position or looks like a different opening, you might want to drop it. c5, g6, Nf6 are quite common, c6, e6, d6, d5, e5, Nc6 (before c5) are not.

In the second case you are navigating a tree inside the same opening, and yeah you might say that there is a final position you are trying to reach, but it might (in a sharp line) only get reached by one move order because of tactical counters. In this case you are asking what is the right move here. The more lines, and the more moves used in different lines, the harder it is to remember without some guide or rule (e.g. try to play f4 before Nf3, careful of Bc4 if e6 Ne7 then d5). Even if you do learn it by rote, give it time and you'll start to forget. Other examples in the Grand Prix should one play d3 or d4, Bb5 or Bc4, f5 or Qe1 Qh4 - I posted on that topic a while back and I think it needs an extra lecture on navigating the thicket correctly.

Kevin, this is just fantastic! 
Thank you very much for sharing this! 
Do you mind if I use your highway example in our future articles? :) 

Scotch 4...Qf6

In the Scotch course after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Qf6 there is only mentioned to play 5.Nf3! and White has the easier game.

Interestingly, in his 1.e4 e5 Lifetime Repertoire on Chessable GM Sethuraman chooses this 4...Qf6 line and after 5.Nf3 continues with 5...Bb4+ to provoke c3.

I see that in the advanced section "tricky moves" Chessmood gives 6.Nbd2 d6 (planning ...Bg4). Sethuraman instead goed 6...Nge7 7.Be2 0-0 8.0-0 and now 8...Bc5 avoiding the troubles with this bishop as in the Chessmood course. 

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Anything on Nb5 instead of Nf3 in that course?

Elephant gambit.....

Hi, Avetik,

Quality Chess has just released an opus (416 p. !) about this gambit...which crosses our scotch at move 2 ?! Can we hope for your recommendation in the next future on how to deal at best with this gambit ?

Many thanks,

Jean-Marie

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This gambit might become a little more popular now, but from having it played against me a few times in blitz, the best things to do are not to panic, know the key traps in advance and try to get just enough knowledge to get yourself into a safe position and play normal chess from there. As far as I know, the gambit is still able to be (and should be) accepted, but it also should be taken seriously (lots of books just ignore it or give a single line) as I've had players rated around 2000 play it. Like many similar gambits, usually the opponent is willing to take risks for a quick knockout, but can easily backfire. Also given it's very easy to get, if you can play e5, it might be worth trying it out in a few games to get a feel of how it can be countered.

There is talk of a course 'abracadabra' gambits that we're looking forward to, and I suspect defeating the elephant will feature.

Reading your post, I checked my lichess history and indeed recently I had three opponents playing this gambit against me in blitz. They had rating between 2000 and 2150.

The score is 2:1 in my favor, so not so bad. I always replied 3.Nxe5. It is not the main move I see, but still White should be better. I will look into it a bit more closely, to have at least one playable line.

Will be added in the section "The Refutation of Abra-Cadabra Gambits."

I really, can't imagine what to write 400 pages about Elephant gambit? 
In my book, about 1.e4! which I'm working on it now, I'll show the refutation in 5 pages... 

Strange. 

But before, I'll start the series Abdra-Cadabra gambits from January, recording and adding to our courses. 

For those of you ho have ChessBase Premium account, there is 1h video course on Elephant gambit.

01: INTRO (chessbase.com)

It's from Black's perspective, White doesn't fare well in the video.

Events' Updates and Simul Games

Champions, quick updates :) 

 1. The Webinar about "Sicilian Closed Systems", from Friday is moved to Wednesday (today, standard ChessMood time) Here is the link: https://youtu.be/m7RmzJLudqU

 2. On Saturday we'll have an "SLP" tournament, where you'll try to save positions playing without a piece, and covert the advantage without giving chances.

 3. On Tuesday we'll have "SLP simul games". I'll play without a piece, and you'll need to win me without giving chances.

 See you soon!

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Best way of dealing with 1... f5?!

Know as the Duras Gambit, also the Fred and many other names, and possibly it could be called an Accelerated Colorado the way it was played here.

Most books just ignore this move and (rightly) say it's just a pawn giveaway, but there are some tricks and if the pawn is recaptured or the King gets to safety on f7 or O-O then Black is probably okay. I just had a 2000+ player try it, so I wonder if someone is making some YouTube videos on this.

I assume it will be covered in the Abracadabra section at some point, but for now, what's the best way to play against it?

I played 2. exf5 Nf6 3. d4 d5 4. Bd3 c5 5. dxc5 (computer suggests c3 is better here because of e5, which the opponent was criticised for playing 5... Qa5+ 6. Nc3 (if d4 then Bb5+) Nc6 (now it's probably a Colorado by transposition) 7. Bd2 Qxc5. Now 8. Nf3 e5 is suggested.

Another way of playing is 1. e4 f5 2. exf5 Kf7 which I have faced in over the board blitz once. Again it can be tricky if 3. d4, but here there is the so-called Mao Tse Tung Attack with 3. Qh5+ and if g6 4. fxg6 Kg7 5. gxh7 Rxh7 6. Qg5+ Kh8 which looks absolutely dreadful.

So if wanting to play Kf7, it would be better on move 3, 1. e5 f5 2. exf5 Nf6 (to stop Qh5) 3. d4 Kf7 perhaps with something similar to the game with 4. Nf3 d5 5. Bd3 c5 6. c3 and after 6... cxd4 7. cxd4 Nc6 8. O-O for your entertainment, the computer suggests Kg8 - something must be terribly wrong! I think a human is more likely to go for Qc7.

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David, with all respect... 
We're not going to cover in our courses moves like 1...f5 with Kf7. 
And then d6,Kd7... And all the rest. 

You should spend your attention, your efforts on openings which you're getting often. 

5.Nxc6 in Accelerated Dragon

In the accelerated Dragon, did you discuss what happens after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 and 5.Nxc6 immediately? I might have missed it in the course.

If not, what do you suggest for black?

regards,

Duncan

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Sorry what I meant is after 6.Nxc6.

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Nxc6.

Hello Duncan, I meet this line against lower level players. You should continue as in the main line with Bg7, O-O, and then applying d5 idea, with or without Re8. They don't handle our initiative well and I usually get a nice queen side attack in these lines. The variations that can arise are similar with the course, just use the open "b" file.

Hey Duncan! 
I'm going to re-record the whole course soon and adjust it with speaking about the lines, that our PRO members get most. 
After Nc6 bc, they key idea for Black is to play Bg7, d6,Nd7, 0-0, and Nd7 with Nc5! Solving the TV concept, and then start a game in the queenside. 

(Edit) What to do when my confidence is really low?

Hello!

I have been having this problem for about a month. I am not able to concentrate properly and work on chess as I used to. I feel like I don't want to work on chess anymore. I have a fide rating of 2200+ and am pretty young [ <16]. I have the time to work on chess but simply cannot concentrate properly. I am really low on confidence and not sure how to overcome this problem. Any help would be really appreciated. 

P.S: I was a former- PRO Member and loved your work. Thank you for all the work that you have done!

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I would just take a break. If as you said, you don't enjoy it anymore, just stop. When you don't enjoy it, there is no way that you will continue... Recharge your energy, find your Why and we will be here waiting for you... Try to stay at least 1 month away from chess, see what you feel... You are young and you can always come back.

if this is because you don't feel like doing studies or playing when you all relax and you're not exhausted, it might be cause your brain's probably disturbed. Listen. If you're feeling kind of not playing at that moment. just take a break. i know it sounds kind of not that much.... but look there are basically some reasons why this is happening. -

1) you are exhausted.

if you're exhausted. just do so as I told you. take a break.

2) your concentration is diverted

sometimes it happens with me too. i am not able to focus on studies and my concentration is not built strong and I am diverted. look. first of all. your concentration is diverted cause probably there's a lot of things there to distract you. what I do is when I analyze chess. i clean up all the clutter at my table and keep my table all clean with nothing but the chess board and the stockfish engine which I practice with. just that. clutter is probably doing it, if your concentration is diverted. if not. try meditating. that will help a lot in increasing your concentration even your brain powers.

3) you're not feeling like playing anymore

is that cause you lost your interest in chess after being a 2200+ player? aRe yOu KiDdInG mE? still, even if you do and you wanna continue just watch chess matches of gm's and bro if you lost your interest. i can do nothing in that. :) can I?

Hi MR N

Coach wrote a blog on bad results, I have applied the same approach when my confidence/ study dedication is low.

https://chessmood.com/blog/5-crucial-steps-to-stop-bad-results-in-chess

Hope this helps

Well, even your are quite young (compared to me borne in 1971) - stop doing what you were doing so fare and do something (chessrelated) new. E.g. try the deadly sins by Rowson (or even Goedel, Escher, Bach by Hofstadter, a book read when I was about 13 and read again and again - and that seems to have quite an influence on the deadly sins). Having finished one or both books reward yourself and get back to your regular training. 

How to overcome this :(

The happier this picture is, the more real and unbearable it is for me :( 

After a long laugh, I stopped for a moment and realized it is a huge problem that has to be solved.

Some winning games came to my mind which I missed because of this stupid reason. Once I had a rook, knight and 2 pawns against a single rook, and get checkmated. Can you imagine? :(

I hate when people gather around my board and I'm stressed for it :( 

I don't know how to overcome this. Are there any tips?

Is there anyone who has this problem or am I alone? :(

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1- Play against pieces

2- Put ear plugs

3- Do not look around

Didn't the Russians train with distractions? I'm sure I've heard stories of players having smoke blown at them (not good for the health mind you). Perhaps practise analysing or playing friendlies with distractions to work on them not interfering so much with your focus, different music, sometimes loud, TV particularly something you like, have someone come and constantly distract you. Try walking away mid flow then trying to get back to where you were. Get someone to trash talk while you play them.

you're not alone! you're not alone! you're not alone! ))

It's really annoying especially when you know that they want you to lose lol.

If l see someone looking at my game who is a friend of mine. I say "Shoo-go away" If a honourable person is seeing i drink enough water

Get sunglasses like Kortschnoi and be sure that they activate colors when they shine!

Scandinavian with ...Qd8!?

Hi I just lost a blitz game which started 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nf3 and Black just went back immediately with 3...Qd8!? and later played ...c6 / ...Bg4 / ...e6 and I got nowhere and got quickly outplayed by an opponent rated around 2300.

Any tips on now to combat such opening play will be most welcome.

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Hi Ramon

The setup against c6/e6 with Bg4 is covered in section 6 of the Scandinavian course. There is an excellent model game (Bassem vs Al Sori) showing how to use the d5-pawn break when Black King is still in the centre

https://chessmood.com/course/10-crushing-the-scandinavian/episode/1066

My summary approach: When Black doesn't directly challenge d4, aim for the d4/c4 pawn setup; Against Bg4 play Be2 with h3; Keep in mind an early Bg4 weakens the b7-square, use c4 to play Qb3. Use d5 open the centre against Black King in centre with setup c6,e6, Nf6, Nbd7,Bh5 once White Be2,h3, d4,c4, Nc3 and 0-0

Hope this helps

id say simply improving in chess. after qd8 black sais: i have less space, but I am a stronger player than you and will outplay you.

I'm really interested in this as well. Would be a good idea for a daily lesson topic! :)

Nc3 Sicilian with 2.. Nc6 - 3.. bxc6 and e7 with Ne7

It happens to me quite a lot that after 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. Bxc6 black recaptures with the b pawn. I just had a case where black then proceeded to play d5 and e6, and develop the knight to e7. I tried following standard plan but encountered an interesting response at move 10.

From my engine analysis it seems Qh4 is not the best move here, but instead  white should play e5. I looked for this variation in the courses and the closest I came was the 2.. e6 course but there the coverage is about when black plays Nf6, not Ne7. Your thoughts about the best plan for white would be appreciated.

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Any and all contributions are warmly appreciated!

Hey! 
Well, when Black puts the pawn on d5, instead of d6, the c5 pawn becomes super weak! 
And we can win the game positionally instead of checkmating. 
Instead of Qe1, Qh4 plan, we can plan e5, close the bishop, and then organize b3,Na4,Ba3. 
Even Black organizes Ba6,c4,cd3, anyway, after cd3, they have problems with c6 pawn and dark squares. 

One more thing, if after Bc6,bc6, Black plays d6,e6,Nge7, then e5 move becomes very strong! Weakening the c5 pawn. I have shown this idea during the webinars.  

And then winning the game positionally. 

A win against Sicilian Bc4

Since I'm often looking to improve things and can come across quite critical, it's worth noting there is so much that's right though which often doesn't get said.

Just had a nice win against Bc4 (not perfect as I had a couple of low time based blunders) where normally I struggled against this system. Thanks GM Gabuzyan for the course and the follow up session!

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English Opening - for attention of GM Hovhannes

Hi, I researched a player I was drawn against on LiChess and discovered he played a sort of delayed English, by playing 1.Nf3 2. c4 and then 3. b3 in order to play Bb2 to oppose a g7 bishop.  So knowing this I tried to work out what might be best but I seemed to get the worst of it.  In fact, till my opponent overlooked the loss of a knight I believe I had a lost game.

I cannot find this early development of white's QB early covered anywhere, could you have a look and suggest how best to handle it?  Here is a link to the game   https://lichess.org/u1sOMs17jH1t.

Thank you.

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@Derek_Simpson

The Link you posted returns a '404 page not found' error message when I try to access it.

Good point, but I wouldn't think of replying 1. ...c5 against 1.Nf3 (even allowing for knowing  in this case my opponent was most likely heading for an English).

Most of the advice given in the English and the Benko Gambit is based on either 1. c4 or 1. d4 respectively, it is slightly more difficult to assume an opponent is going to end up in either by  1. Nf3

But thank you for your advice and interest in giving it.

I always play c5 against 1.Nf3, the same order suggested by Wil. It transposes to the Acc dragon, Maroczy, English etc. almost always...

Thank you you have resolved my concerns, it is much appreciated.  Perhaps I should pay more attention to the streams in future!!