How to Rank Up in CS2 - 25 Most Effective Tips

The ranking system in CS2 is an important component of the game. It motivates players to develop their abilities and reach higher levels.

Every CS2 player can make mistakes and face certain difficulties trying to get a higher rank. That’s why we’ve gathered 33 useful tips that will help beginners and professionals to avoid common mistakes and explain how to rank up in CS2.

1. Learn and Practice Spray Patterns in CS2

CS2 virtual weapons were designed with their real prototypes in mind. That’s why every weapon in the game has a unique spray pattern and recoil compensation. Which leads us to one simple statement: if you wanna be good at shooting from some particular weapon, you have to understand how to deal with its particular qualities, such as spray pattern and recoil compensation ones. Read our guide on CS2 spray patterns to find out more.

Understanding the advantages of each weapon, you choose the right positions and you navigate through the map a lot faster. Just so you know, your hero’s velocity is really important.

2. Peek Enemies Properly (Fast/Wide & Jump/Jiggle Peek)

Types of Peek in CS2:

Fast Peek
Wide Peek
Jump Peek
Jiggle Peek

There are several options to enter a site and check whether an enemy is there. Option number one is strafe before the enter.

Going to long or middle is one of the best ways to check whether your enemy has a rifle. But you better stay alive while doing this.

3. Check Map Callouts

Permanent minimap checking is a must for every CS2 player. Make sure you’re doing this once in 15-20 seconds. Or even better if you’re doing it more frequently, once in 5-10 seconds. In order to better navigate the maps, you should definitely read our article with all CS callouts.

This approach will give you insights on the opponent team tactics and overall strategy even before you meet the enemy walking before you.

4. Learn CS2 Team Play Basics

One of the most important details to assure your fast rank up in CS2 is communication between teammates. Always share information regarding positions or other game play details since it’s really helpful for the whole team and you in particular. But make sure you are not spamming and telling really important things.

Your team leader (captain) can suggest where and why the team should go, but before making a proper decision a team should get the updates from all the team mates.

It’s almost impossible to win a CS2 round with self-focused playing style. Well, maybe there is always an exception — just remember we have players like S1mple. But nevertheless, it’s better to share the information with your teammates. We’d say it’s a key to winning.

5. Remember About Flashbang Assist

After you check the position with strafe, you will define whether your enemy is on callout. Use flashbang to make your appearance more effective for opponents.

Flashbang leaves no chance to hide or turn, so your enemy will be blinded for a short period of time. For each enter on every map there are positions for throwing flashbangs effectively. Sometimes you need to throw a flashbang from spawn to blind enemies on a middle, and this example is not the only not-so-obvious thing when it comes to flashbangs.

Analyze and define all the positions for flashbang throwing on all maps. This will give an enormous advantage in the game.

6. Use Grenades Wisely

The grenades effectiveness increases closer to the end of the round. It also depends on a specific case, sure thing, but let’s take a look at a strategy of knocking terrorists out when C4 is planted on Inferno’s Plant B. Besides C4 planting, three terrorists are still alive. There is no way to win this case without grenades.

You should always think about how many grenades left within a round. And you should always think how the leftover grenades may help to win a round. Use them wisely, because each and every one of them may define a winner of a round… or a winner of a match.

7. Practice Strafe and Strafe Jump

Proper positioning gives you an advantage in shooting. When you’re waiting for the enemy on a spot, you should check all the positions for the enter. Don’t just sit straight and look at one point, moves the camera and be ready for the fast enter.

Strafing in the straight shootout would be a useful skill. Though it may be better to stay on position and shoot more accurately, strafing may transform you to uneasy target. However, if you’re not so great in shooting at all, better learn how to shoot properly and accurately first, and only after that proceed to learning strafing.

8. Learn How to Defuse Bomb in CS2

You need to learn a few tips to avoid situations with shootouts from the terrorists while you’re defusing the bomb. Let’s take an example. Fake defuse tactic may help to lure your enemy out. All you need to do is start defusing the bomb in order to let the enemy hear that specific bomb defusing sound. After a quick defusing start just wait for your opponent to show up.

9. Use Boost and Run Boost Tactics

You can use boost tactics on so many CS2 maps. Boost can work out to surprise enemies, since you can get a better position with the help of your teammates. The position you’ve got is surely awesome for observation and sure thing it’s awesome for killing opponents. With the boost tactic you can shoot from really unfamiliar positions, surprising an enemy team.

Properly used boost tactics may confuse your opponents, providing your team with an increased numerical advantage within one round.

10. Enter a Spot from Different Sides

Besides boost tactics, there are many ingenious ways to kill an enemy team. Pop flashes, throwing two or more grenades to the same spot, or going to one position from different ways in the same time can improve your game strategy and assure round or match winning.

Remember that going to one position simultaneously from different ways works out only if you act smoothly as a team.

11. Save the Bomb. Don’t Rush Ahead

Do not push aggressively if you are a bomb carrier, and take out the bomb once you are on a planting site.

If you near a plant, a bomb carrier should come out second or third on it. There are cases when bomb carrier is shot first and a bomb is lost. Not really lost, it’s just counter-terrorist team is carefully watching it. Come out and take it? Not the safest plan around.

12. Reload a Weapon Before Rush

Issues with an empty weapon clip happens to everyone. It happens even to professional players. You know, the devil is in the details, so please pay attention to the ammo state. It’s better to reload your weapon before showing up on the position.

Though a weapon reload takes a little time, it still may define the winner of the round. And you know, one lost round may define the winner of the match. So be careful and check the ammo state permanently.

In some cases you should reload your weapon when there are ⅓ or less bullets left. For example, if there is a shootout or something… just follow this rule.

13. Check Enemy Positions. Spot an Enemy

If you’re playing CS2 for quite a long time, and practicing rather permanently, you get the needed experience. This experience may lead to not so obvious things in your tactics. For example, at some point you discover a simple fact: in some cases you should not kill an enemy right after you’ve spot the enemy.

Look around a little bit, maybe it’s a trap, or maybe there are other enemies waiting for you and not seeing you. Better to kill’em all at once, isn’t it?

“Waiting” skill is actually an art, so if you can learn to wait for the right moment and make the most from it, you will reach the highest CS2 rank quite soon.

14. Save Yourself With the Smoke Grenade

Many CS2 players use Molotovs or incendiary for kicking enemy out from the position. If you’re staying in one position and not moving, you will still receive a damage from that weapons. Fire grenades have several stages of ignition. Each stage increases the burning area until it becomes impossible to get out of the fire alive.

However, there is a way to take the least amount of damage when the fire is near and is already dealing damage.

You should switch quickly to the smoke grenade, start jumping while throwing it under your feet. Not bad, huh? Smoke extinguishes the fire and it does not have time to flare up and cause a lot of damage.

15. Practice With CS2 Wallbang Spots

You can make a wallbang – not necessarily shooting though the wall, but also through boxes, windows, doors or any other blocking object on a map – and practice it a lot. After you define the map for the match, or for the practice, check all the positions for shootout and check what weapon can work it out in the best way possible.

One shootout may decide the outcome of the round, and a round… Yeah, it can define the winner after all. So please use all things possible to become a winner. Wallbangs practice is one of those things.

16. Practice Insane Clutches

When you have “1 vs Many” case, and you’re the one… Well, it’s time to apply “if you wanna win an enemy, you must think like the enemy” strategy. Think about the previous rounds, and make your mind. Though we know it’s a hard thing to do, and you may be a little anxious trying to win before all teammates eyes. But you can do it! Just don’t hurry.

Think about the positioning of your enemies, think how you would act in exactly the same situation if you were on the other side. If you obey your mind, and not the emotions, you can figure out the right approach and make a right decision for the briefest timeline.

Won clutch round is a serious motivation and a big cheer up to a whole team! Let alone the wonderful feeling it can deliver directly to you as a winner.

17. Be Careful With 1 Shot 3 Kills Case

Such cases rarely happen, but they do happen. And if you face this and you’re the victim, oh… It’s not the best feeling for a CS2 player. Maybe you’ve already guessed, but – 1-shot-3-kills case is possible when the team is going in a straight line, while sniper from the other team kills everyone with one rifle shot.

Not so many rifles can do such damage, but AWP surely can deliver this. If you and your teammates are entering a dangerous position and suspect there can be a sniper somewhere, do not get in line! Period.

18. Take a Rest After Defeat

Do not get into despair and please do not be outraged if your team lost the match. And do not try to fix things up immediately. Take a little rest, maybe half an hour or an hour rest to re-imagine everything, including your latest match tactics and decisions. If you’re controlled by your emotions, nothing good will happen in the next match. That’s like… guaranteed.

And if everything’s falling apart for a whole day, then have a break till tomorrow. Lows happen to everyone, let alone e-sportsmen or gamers. Just don’t let them overcome you. Chill for a moment, maybe switch your attention to some other things. Yeah, your life is full of other things!

Moreover, your rating drop is not an easy thing to fix quickly, and if you don't give up playing for a day after a chain of lost matches, you will face worse repercussions for your CS2 rating.

19. Train Your Movement Speed

Now if we’re talking about moving on CS2 round… You know, this issue can be a separate topic for another lengthy article. Anyway let’s take a moment, and formalize a few defining things.

Every CS2 map has different audibility, so you must practice a lot on different maps and carefully check the specifications of them. On some maps you can hear the enemy due to thin walls, or due to wooden boards that can be really loud if someone’s running.

20. Learn CS2 Models Hitboxes

When you’re sitting around the barrels, or any other stuff that is not fully covering your hero, you should put the weapons to the floor (move the screen in the floor direction), so that the hitbox of your hero is not visible to the opponent.

Besides hiding hitboxes, you also have a bonus of not being blinded by a flashbang. And after all, it’s comfy to listen to every small sound which may mean an enemy movement to you. And if there’s a blinding grenade thrown at you, wait for a few seconds to disable its blinding effect, raise your weapon and shoot.

21. Change Your Position Each Round

Try to change your position each following round, even if you’re sitting or going to the same plant every time. Why is this needed? Well, your enemy is getting used to your tactics and positions really quickly.

If you’re really feeling the map, switch positions of each other on plants every 3-4 rounds. It will diversify the overall strategy of your team which will confuse enemies and won’t let them get used to your playing style.

22. Know Your Weapon

Before a round starts, think about your position in the next one. Moreover, think about a weapon you’ll use. There is no need to use AWP on close distances. Close distances define mobility as a main advantage, and unfortunately AWP does not make your hero more mobile. Better use XM1014 instead.

Each weapon in CS2 may be super effective if used in the right context. You use a limited pool of weapons in the matchmaking mode, but it does not mean you can skip practicing with every weapon available. You must know particular qualities of all weapons in order to be as effective as possible in any given circumstances.

23. Go CS2 MM Training Before Real Game

Before playing in MM mode, go and spend some time on a aim training map. This is required! Playing on a training map allows you to train shooting tactics and warm-up a little bit.

By the way, Deathmatch mode is great for warming-up. Fast respawns, fast weapon change, permanent shootouts… All these things are perfect for a start of a real game with real opponents. After playing with bots you can be more relaxed while playing with real people. Especially if you’re back to CSGO playing after a long pause. But it actually does not really matter – warming-up is great for everyone, Deathmatch is great for warming-up.

24. Use CS2 Console Commands

Before you start playing, don’t forget to check game preferences and settings along with CS2 console commands. Because if you start doing it during the game, nothing good will happen. Neither to game settings and preferences, nor to you CS2 rank. So be wise and check everything beforehand.

25. Set Up Sound Settings Properly

Valve has worked really hard on a sound design of CS2. You can just hear it, pun intended. So if you’re wondering how to up rank in CS2, one of the key answers will be listening. Listen to your enemies, to all tiny noises on map and use it for your playing strategy.

Listening closely rewards you with a saved life and won rounds. So please do not play CS2 with music on, or in silence. Better use good headphones to feel and hear all the sounds, it will help you with enemy position locating.

All these tricks are not designed to teach you how to shoot properly or how to throw grenades properly, but if you combine and apply them in the right context, they can help you to rank up in CS2. Learn them and try them, and one day you will surely get desired Global Elite rank!

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