Top 25 Beginner Tips for New CS2 Players (2023)

Within a few days of launch, CS2 has become the topmost game on steam. This excitement around CS2 has also attracted many new players.

This has prompted me to create this list of CS2 beginner tips to help you gain an upper hand in the game. Truth be told, whether you are a beginner or an intermediate-level player, these tips can help you.

1. Familiarize yourself with recoil & crosshair placement

In any FPS game, crosshair placement is important, as the goal is to always shoot near your opponent's head.

Doing so is not similar to earlier CS games because the recoil effect in CS2 is more real than in its predecessors. Therefore, if you are a player who enjoys spraying, you will be at a disadvantage. Therefore, to become more accurate in CS2, follow a couple of tips highlighted below:

Stick to short bursts only.

Familiarize yourself with the recoil of every gun.

Crouch to ensure high accuracy.

Apart from these tips, remember that it is possible to customize the crosshair. Experiment with different size and color options to decide which one suits you the best.

Truth be told, this tip alone can improve your gameplay significantly.

2. Become accustomed to pre-firing

Using pre-firing to your advantage is a simple but extremely effective trick to improve your gameplay.

Let's say you suspect an enemy is hiding around a corner or behind a box then even before you spot them, you can pre-fire at that spot while moving towards it as you gain more visibility. That will help you take the enemy by surprise, and if indeed you hit the perfect spot, you will get a headshot and kill the enemy.


This works great for both teams, but when you are on the T-side and rushing towards a bomb site, instead of falling to an ambush, it's best to use pre-firing to clear the site.

3. Peek safely

Peeking can help you gain an upper hand on the opposition. When done right, it can serve different purposes like:

Gaining early frag

Gaining intelligence

Securing a site

However, when done incorrectly, peeking can expose you and put you at risk. Use peeking effectively by following the tips below.

Before peeking, place the crosshair where the enemy's head is likely to be present.

Peek swiftly and gain cover as soon as possible.

Before using peeking as a technique, practice strafing. Strafing is using the A and D keys to move sideways to peek. It is one of the fastest ways to peek around the corner and get back behind cover.

4. Spray after familiarizing yourself with the weapon

CS2 has a greater recoil effect than earlier games. That's true. However, you can still spray and get the kill.

First, familiarize yourself with the extent of the recoil effect. For those that don’t know what spraying is, it is firing consistently while moving the mouse. The recoil effect means that the crosshair can move in any direction. Therefore, knowing how the gun will recoil is essential to control the crosshair while spraying.

Note:

Managing recoil while spraying is challenging and takes a lot of practice. So, don't be disappointed if it takes you more than a couple of hours to learn this art. Just continue practicing.

5. Grab the right angle and be patient

Holding certain spots on the maps with the right angles provides you with an advantage in CS2. Angles are sightlines where you can get a quick kill if the enemy appears from that direction. It is best to get to such a site quickly and pick a spot to get a proper sightline and something to duck or take cover behind should the need arise.

Simultaneously, ensure that you are in a spot where you can rush to the aid of your team-mates.

Only through practice can you spot such angles and learn how to hold that spot.

Note:

While both teams can benefit from this, for CTs, it’s vital to do so. Once you occupy such angles at the bomb sites, it is easy to decimate the opposition with accurate shooting skills.

6. Become sneaky

Predictable gameplay will lead to problems in CS2 and other FPS games. Better to vary your gameplay. A few tips that can help you do that are:

Don't always stand or take cover in the same spot at the same site.

Force enemies to get into an uncomfortable or disadvantageous spot if they want to confront you.

Use sneaky tricks like pressing shift and entering a bomb site so that your footsteps aren't heard.

Don't shy away from confronting your enemies early to catch them off guard.

These simple tricks will help you gain an upper hand over your enemies.

7. Equip with a knife to move faster

Seasoned CS players are aware of this simple tip. When trying to reach a spot sooner, rather than being equipped with a gun, equip yourself with a knife. This increases your speed while running.

While doing so, remember the key to equip yourself with a gun in a split second. Only in that case, use this tip; otherwise, when the enemy confronts you, they might have a rifle, and you would still have a knife in your hand.

8. Use the right callouts

Communication is the key in CS2. The more the information exchanged between team-mates, the higher the chance of winning. To share information efficiently and quickly, it is essential to familiarize yourself with the game jargon and callouts.

For example, the site in between Site A and Site B is usually known as mid in most maps. Many maps have names for walkways and other zones as well. The good news is that the in-game mini-map in the top left of the screen displays these names. So the more you play and explore the map, the more you will be aware of these names, leading to better map topography knowledge and improved callouts.

Spend considerable time familiarizing yourself with popular maps like Mirage, Dust II. Remember that it takes some time to become accustomed to these names, so don't beat yourself up when you don't remember the names.

Note:

In CS2, you can use the ping feature if you can't talk due to mic issues.

9. Take team economy into account

Teamplay becomes equally important when buying the resources at the start of the round. If you survived the last round, you will have the previous leftover ammo and weapons. If not, you need to buy everything anew.

Winning the round, of course, means you have more leeway with the purchases. However, if the team economy is in a dire state, it is best to conserve cash and stick to a conservative shopping list, like a pistol or a grenade. In case of confusion, use the "Force Buy" option to buy according to affordability.

Note:

If you survive until the end of the round, you can pick up any gun on the floor, which will carry forward to the next round, helping you save money.

10. Make use of training maps

While it has only been a few days since the launch of CS2, a handful of aim training maps are already available. If you truly want to improve, spending at least 60 minutes a day playing these aim-training maps is a must.

The advantage of these aim training maps is that they provide different types of targets and help you track your performance. Besides, most of them allow you to customize the settings to simulate certain ranked game conditions.

These aim training maps might seem boring to some, but if you play consistently, you will notice your gaming skills improving.

11. Stick to core weapons

If you are new to the CS universe, you won't be familiar with the core weapons. In case of terrorists, the core weapon is the AK-47. In the case of Counter Terrorists, it is a rifle like the M4A4/M4A1-S. These rifles are more accurate than the others. With some practice, getting a headshot with these rifles is easy.

On the other hand, if you want to don the role of a sniper, it is a good idea to focus on AWP.

Note:

When it comes to rifles, always practice in short bursts rather than adopting the spray and pray technique.

12. Be conservative in gameplay

Different players have different playing styles. However, when it comes to CS2, conservative gameplay is a good choice.

What do I mean by conservative gameplay?

A few tips will help you understand that.

Manage economy well

Simply put, even when you have the money, purchase equipment to conserve money longer.

Gather intel

During the game, put a lot of emphasis on gathering intel. Not only that, relay that intel to other team members. It helps you gain an upper hand over the opposition.

Be consistent

Playing conservative throughout the rounds is what you should stick to. Alternating between conservative and aggressive gameplay isn't preferable.

Prioritize staying alive

Keep in mind that you can benefit your team the most when you stay alive. It helps you retain resources, which saves money in the next round. The point is to do everything you can to stay alive.

Many seasoned players might deem such conservatism unnecessary, but it is necessary when you start out.

13. Pay attention to your surroundings

Don’t just barge on a site; assuming no one is in the vicinity and take position. Instead, do everything you can to become more aware of your surroundings, but how do you do so?

Some ways include:

Whenever you reach a new site, check every nook and cranny to ensure no enemy player is present.

Instead of just bragging into every nook and cranny, use angles and long sightlines to check for enemy presence.

Before you head to a new site, always wait and listen for the sound of footsteps, jumping, scoping in and out, and so on.

Being aware of your surroundings helps you dominate the map.

14. Use utilities to your advantage

Utilities certainly offer numerous advantages in CS2. I will share a few examples below.

Smoke grenades halt enemy movement and provide you some cover.

Flashbangs blind the opponents.

Incendiary Grenades make the area inaccessible and also inflict damage.

Most players just focus on weapons and aiming when it comes to improving CS2 skills. Instead of that, it's best to use these utilities to your advantage to halt enemies or force them to come out in the open. In both these cases, you would be at an advantage.

15. Reload at the right time

Imagine you are fighting an enemy and your magazine runs out of ammo because you forgot to reload it earlier. That certainly can prove fatal in the game.

It is better to reload the weapon when it is partially empty. That way, whenever you come across an enemy, you will have a magazine full of bullets. Also, when you are reloading, ensure that you aren't out in the open.

16. Do not rush to ranked matches

Don't head into ranked matches yet. Focus on 2 different aspects before playing the ranked matches.

Develop skills

Building some solid CS2 skills is necessary. Aim training maps and unranked matches are the best way to do so. Rather than playing them for a couple of days, devote at least a couple of weeks of daily play to hone your skills.

Familiarize yourself with gameplay

Apart from basic foundation skills, develop a command on map awareness, sound detection, communication, and teamwork before playing ranked matches.

Focus on these 2 aspects, and you won't have a problem playing ranked matches.

17. Never skip armor

Armor is a must, especially when you are a beginner-level player in CS2. The best option in this case is to buy a Kevlar + Helmet. If you have survived the last round and have bought armor in it, simply buy Kevlar, and that will top up the armor.

18. Know the right smoke points

Smokes can come in handy in CS2. Especially now when responsive smokes are available. Every map has a couple of points, which gives you a distinct advantage in the game.

There are 2 ways to know about such points.

Option 1: Try smoking at various points to find which one hinders the enemies the most. This will take a lot of time and effort.

Option 2: Browse YouTube videos, subreddits, and Steam forum to learn about such smoking points.

Whichever way you choose, just learn about these smoking points and try to use them to your advantage in every round.

19. Know how to get a refund

Buy menu in CS2 has a refund button. If you buy a weapon accidentally or realize it will hamper the team economy, it's best to get a refund. Since this feature is a new one, most players might not remember it straight away. That's the reason I am mentioning this small tip.

Getting a refund and buying another weapon helps you get the right weapon, save money and execute your strategy better.

20. Don't Just focus on individuals kills and deaths

It is easy to get swayed by the number of kills you attain in CS2. However, instead of falling into that trap, understand that it is a team game. For example, most players avoid becoming fraggers because they are likely to get a single kill before being shot and killed by enemy players. However, their importance is immense since they lead the way for the rest of the team.

Keep this in mind and adopt the role demanded by your team rather than the one that gets the most number of kills. Doing so will help you come out on top eventually.

21. Always have an element of surprise

After playing the game for a while, you will find an angle or a sightline on every map, which provides you with a distinct advantage. Most players get comfortable and try to stick to that angle in every round. The problem with doing that is you become predictable, and therefore, it becomes easy for the enemy to thwart your advantage.

There needs to be an element of surprise at individual level as well as team level. For example, if your team as CTs try to push hard and fast at a particular bomb site, eventually Ts will just head to another one or try to decimate you in cross fire by reaching slightly ahead of you.

Point being, always have an element of surprise.

22. Never ignore warmup

Just like normal sports, in esports as well, it is best to have a warm up routine. In case of CS2, it can be a couple of deathmatch rounds. It will help you focus better, and thereafter, you can start playing your ranked matches.

At best, you learn something new and get into the groove by warming up. At worst, you get some practice.

Therefore, it's a win-win.

23. Watch videos of professionals

Since there is a lot of excitement around the game, the number of videos uploaded to YouTube is going to be in thousands. To learn the game, it's best to subscribe to a few channels by the pros and binge-watch their gameplay daily.

No, I am not asking you to adopt their strategy completely (even though it would benefit you to do so), but learning a trick or two from their gameplay is certainly beneficial.

Ditch Netflix and watch CS2 videos from pros instead.

24. Familiarize yourself with every map

When starting out with CS2, it's best to familiarize yourself with the following maps:

Dust II

Inferno

Mirage

Nuke

You should be familiar with the layouts of these maps, what their different areas are called, angles you can play and so on.

25. Ensure the volume is at the right level

Audio is your friend when playing CS2.Invest in good headphones. Audio can help you in multiple ways like:

It can help you hear enemy footsteps and be ready for them.

Walking or running on different surfaces produces different sounds. With some experience, by hearing that audio, you will know where the players are on the other side of the wall.

In a nutshell, keeping the audio level high and listening to the audio consistently will help you gain an upper hand.

FAQs

Can anyone play CS2?

Yes, CS2 is available on Steam for free. If you have played CS:GO in the past, you need to update it to play CS2.

When can I play CS2?

CS2 is now available for all players to download and play.

Where to play Counter-Strike 2?

Visit the steam marketplace or visit the url https://store.steampowered.com/app/730/CounterStrike_2/ to download CS2 to start playing it.

What is Premier in CS2?

CS2 prime, or premier as it is popularly called, is a mode that provides competitive players a chance to play with other players devoid of hackers or cheaters. You don't need to worry about playing against the less serious players, who are just around because the game is free. In a nutshell, CS2 premier provides better gameplay.

Conclusion

Time to bring out your guns and follow the tips above to become an ace player in CS2. Once you improve your CS2 skills, it becomes a matter of time before you dominate the game and up the entertainment quotient.

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