• to take time by the forelock
• to push an advantage, to push the advantage
• to keep the pot boiling
• to embrace the opportunity, to improve the occasion, to improve the opportunity, to make use of the occasion, to profit of an opportunity, to take advantage of the opportunity, to use one's opportunities
• to pick sy's brains, to suck sy's brains
• to press one's advantage
• to play on sy's credulity, to play upon sy's credulity