As someone who has spent countless hours playing Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and has never achieved any significant earnings, I set out on a quest to find just exactly how someone with no raw talent could become the world’s best player. What would it take for someone to be playing measly matchmaking to go all the way to the Major? What makes someone better at the game than another? And what exactly is going on every day to make sure no player falls behind in skill.

Getting Out of Silver

As we dive into the depths of YouTube ,we can find entry-level players simply playing an official deathmatch server. As I have experienced this is not the most effective way of grinding out raw aim for days on end. Our very own Cath of Dignitas spends thirty minutes before joining a competitive match deathmatching on a unique server to make sure her aim is as crisp as possible. Grinding on a community deathmatch server is one of the best ways to accelerate warm-up time. Deathmatching for twenty minutes or even half an hour before players begin the day of matchmaking can significantly boost efficiency. Being able to effectively aim and learning positions that can put players in advantageous places can greatly improve the way you play the game. Though these skills can be better assessed in-game it is valuable to practice every skill before players even consider hitting the war zone.

Improving Your Aim

Nothing is more satisfying in Counter-Strike than being able to maximize the number of won engagements. Moving from left to right in the Workshop maps shown above, “training_aim_csgo2” allows users to practice reaction time and the amount of space required to flick between areas. This map will drastically impact any new player’s reaction time and placement of crosshair. Given many variables, there is only room for progress when trying to obtain the fastest and best speeds.

In “Aim Botz – Training” players are given multiple settings that allow for having bots to move in any way imaginable. This will greatly improve anyone's reactions as well as practice for spraying down opponents who may be on the move. Finally, professionals and semi-professionals will use Workshop maps such as “Recoil Master – Spray Training” to maximize the way you can spray down a single target at the best of your ability. This workshop map allows players to use any type of weapon and become familiar with the newly viable AUG and SG 553.

Finding Friends Who Have a Winning Mentality

Upon entering an entry level team, players should want to have teammates who are constantly being positive and are never putting any player down. In a team, it goes without saying that those who win, win together. Those who pick apart any situation during the match should keep that information down until the end of the game as it can only bring the momentum of your team downward. Being positive and saying things such as “Nice try man, we will win get em’ next round!” is more than encouraging and can bring a team together. It’s possible that you can even make new teammates by befriending people who have queued on their own. potentially finding yourself on a team in a low tier division to work your way to the top!

Rising Through the Ranks

As not every game will be easy, because you must rely on four other players, consider queueing with a friend. Most of the time if you queue with someone you can trust they will do their best in every game. By doing this you can guarantee that not only will you already be a step ahead of the competition, but you will already have built chemistry between teammates to bring home the chicken dinner. You will not win every match. You should go into every match with the same thought, I will win. However, if your team ends up losing, putting the other players down will not brighten anyone’s day. Give them pointers. Tell them things they should improve on in the next match and move on. No one likes a toxic player, but everyone loves a team player.

Learning Useful Spots to Throw Utility

When players are being introduced to the game, you must first know how the utility within the game functions. The utility can be applied to every round and give players a significant advantage for such a small investment. Players can use Workshop maps published by the creator “Dolnma” to find unique places to smoke and how to smoke useful areas. Within these maps, Dolnma also gives the ability for users to learn flashes and molotovs. These areas can help you as a player become team-oriented and willing to learn.

The more smokes, molotovs, and flashes you know, the more efficient you can be at taking a bomb site or defending a bomb site. These will take time to remember and will not happen overnight. Do not expect that by practicing these grenades once or even twice that you will retain them. It will take a few weeks before a player will get them all down pat. However, once you have done so you can expect your gameplay and your winning percentage to increase drastically!

Learning About Where to Position in a Fight

When you start as a Counter-Terrorist, you never want to be in a position that you cannot fall back from. When you are on top of "ticket booth" as pictured above there are many problems with the position. Players should not be sitting on top of ticket booth if they do not have anyone holding the middle push or the A Ramp or Palace push (depending on where you are looking). As a player in this scenario if you have the other areas smoked off it still possible that Terrorist players may walk through the smokes as they are not walls.

When you pick a position, you must understand that the other team can go through smokes and that they will do everything to win. You must position yourself so that you can get at least one kill and survive. That is your only goal. You want to kill one player and be able to live for the next fight, no matter what. Positions on maps variety for either side so your best bet to find the best is to watch pro matches. Players from all teams have different styles. By watching different players you can find a style that matches yours.

Economic Management

When you play Counter-Strike, you must understand the basic fundamentals of how the economy works and how to apply it to your game. When you lose the pistol round, due to the newest changes, it is worthwhile to not invest in the second round. Saving on the second round will net you an AK-47, armor, and a few grenades, whereas on the CT side if you were to save you could get an M4, armor, and a defuse kit. Noting this will increase your chances of winning significantly.

A player should always communicate with his/her team as well to make sure the entire team is on board with buying in the round that you chose to. Making sure that everyone buys on the same round is the best way to improve your ability to maximize rounds won. If you wish to fully understand the economy system, I suggest watching a YouTube video about it. Some aspects of the economy system are basic whereas others are super complex.

This is Just the Beginning

With all this information you can surely exceed within your next matchmaking or 3rd party game! Learning how to position properly. Learning where and how to throw correct grenades. Having a winning mentality but not selling yourself short. Practicing and learning how to aim properly. Deathmatching, and learning how to be a happy and supportive human being can all attribute to you going out of silver and becoming one of the pros! While this information can only help you on the surface practice makes perfect but only if you practice perfectly. When you practice, be sure not to mess around and take everything as if your life depended on it. Best of luck on your road to Global Elite!

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