Banana, one of the most iconic locations in Counter-Strike history and one that has seen countless memorable plays happen. One of the locations on the map that gives us viewers so many incredible matches between top professional teams - Inferno is part of the history of Counter-Strike!

But there is one player that stood above the rest and made himself a name for being one of the most proficient players while defending the position as a B anchor player - the King of Banana himself, Adam “friberg” Friberg. Currently playing for DignitasVIE CS:GO team, we’ve teamed up with him to know more about playing as a CT on Banana and he gave some tips for you!

First of all, it’s important to understand what made friberg such an amazing player on Banana. Being such an iconic spot in one of the most played maps, what made him stand out from the rest? It was mainly the way he played on old Inferno, how he was able to defend B alone with the help of few utility from his teammates. He used to play the position with Christopher "GeT_RiGhT" Alesund, who would set up his teammate in a way that he was able to shine and have the first contact with Ts. But friberg also has an opinion on how he ended up being known as the Banana King:

Good question! I think I was a really good anchor player on old Inferno! I was very comfortable with the layout of both the site and Banana and it's a position where you can get multi-kills if you are using your utility correctly. We had a really good idea on how to play Banana and what and when utility to use. Both I and GeT_RiGhT put each other in good positions where we could bait for each other and give good opportunities for the other. I think we both were helping each other out a lot playing B and also the chokepoints... they were a bit smaller than what they are today. If you had, for example, a perfect flashbang and people had to push through a Smoke, it's easier to hold since the entrance is a lot smaller than what it is today.

- friberg

Let’s talk about the present meta of CS:GO. As you know, the way players actually explore and gain control of the map changes over time and it’s important to know how you can gain control of different positions having that in mind. Meta can change due to minor or major map changes, economy updates, weapon updates, everything, so here’s a quick tip: make sure you read every batch of patch notes as soon as an update is released by Valve.

When questioned about the current meta and what’s the best way to explore it, friberg said the following:

I feel like it's a mix of being both passive and aggressive. You should always try to contest Banana, it's one of the most important positions on the map, but then again, if the Ts are not wasting any utility at all and you're wasting yours just to get Banana control they might be on a better spot for late-round, so it's a matter of finding the perfect balance of how much utility to waste on the beginning so that Terrorists don't get it for free.

- friberg

Banana is a spot that when a team has control of it, it can make rotations way easier, no matter the side you’re playing in. Let’s say you’re on CT - you have way more time to call for a rotation from A when you see the Ts trying to push it. If you don’t have Banana control, as soon as they push B, you’re pretty much alone without any help from A on a decent time. The same happens to the Ts. If they have Banana control, they can make sure they have a safer approach to A by just letting a single player on Banana making sure no information is being taken by the defenders. And that’s why having control of it is so crucial - and that’s where good utility usage comes into play like friberg said. Have a player flash for you when trying to get control, whether that is at the beginning of the round or during the middle.

This "antenna Flashbang" can be really strong against Terrorists that have Car control on Banana

When asked about some tips to help a CT defending Banana, friberg was quick to answer with these:

If you're playing Banana as a CT, I feel like your utility usage needs to be on point, you need to be able to adapt to what your opponent is doing. For example, if you want to push Banana, you can't just do it if people are trying to fight you all the time - you need to put utility correctly! Also, I feel like people underestimate Flashbangs in this position, you can get so many Terrorists off-guard, both from Site and deep inside Banana. Find some cool pop flashes and make sure to communicate with your teammate!

- friberg

friberg touches on the importance of utility again but focuses on the timing of its usage. Let’s say there is constant pressure applied by the Terrorists on this position - there’s no point in trying to there alone all the time if all you’re doing is dying, even if you manage to get at least one player. Losing a CT early is something that gives a great advantage to the Ts, so be careful. Understand the pressure the Ts are applying and study how you can counter it. Let’s say they’re always taking early control of Banana; a good thing to do would be to throw a well-placed Flashbang, like the one where your teammate aims at the antenna, and try to get one or two kills before running back to the site. You can also throw an Incendiary from the Bombsite that will land on Car and make the Ts either go back or be forced to appear to a player playing on coffins, which could grant an easy kill. Make sure to communicate with your teammate and do plays together!

If you’re still reading this article, I have an extra tip for you that applies to the Terrorists. I’ve asked friberg for some tips on retaking Banana, but on the attacking side:

Once again, even when playing as a Terrorist, I feel like utility is the key when trying to play for Banana. Use Molotovs and Flashbangs to block off Car and then pop flash into close corners so you can clear together with a teammate, it's really strong! But also, if you want to stay close inside Banana, make sure to have a teammate ready with a Flashbang. As soon as you hear steps, ask for that Flashbang and try to push on timing. It's really strong and you can get a lot of players off guard! But Banana for me is a lot about team play, you need to help each other out. It's a really hard position to play alone

- friberg

You’re probably thinking “there it is the utility again, why is it so important in this place?”

Well, mostly because it is a very narrow passage and there are very few places to hide. Being a chokepoint, players don’t have a lot of room to run away if needed, and that’s exactly why the utility is so crucial. Make sure to always be using the surroundings to the maximum of their potential, and that’s way more than just being able to bounce Smokes or Flashbangs off the walls.

Watch some professional match demos, understand how different players defend Banana, and, above all, how the players on B (both the anchor and the rotator) play off each other and how they put themselves in different positions to improve their team’s chances. If you like a more aggressive approach, you can watch teams like FURIA. If you’re into a more passive style, NAVI is a great team to watch as well!

Thank you for reading this article! Hopefully, it helped you in some way regarding the defense of such an iconic spot such as Banana on Inferno! You can reach out to me for suggestions or feedback via Twitter!

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