Chess for beginners

[Henk]

If I play chess I usually get positions which are equal. So I start thinking very long to make a plan. But usually I can not find a good one. So I do some random moves otherwise I lose too much time. Actually I wait until my opponent makes a bad move. Usually he does not and the game ends in a draw or I make a blunder myself.

[whereagles]

I used to have the very same problem when I used to play regional and national championships.

Then I stopped playing for like 20 years and now I sometimes play through the internet. I noticed I have a much easier time making coming up with a concrete plan. If the opponent does nothing or comes up with moves that are easy to counter, I normally manage to complete my strategy and win. For instance, I've won quite a few games with NN vs BB just by shutting down the position and keep the bishops numb.

Seems I've become a stronger player, though I really don't understand how...