How to get better at CSGO in 2021

CSGO is a game that has been around for a very long time. Despite the legacy of the Counter-Strike franchise, CSGO has remained around for the last 9 years and will likely be around for years to come. Many people are flocking to the game and finding out their true skill within the game, but you may be struggling to get a grip on the game. Don’t worry! We’ll help you through with our guide on how to get better at CSGO in 2021.

Getting better at CSGO is easier said than done. In some cases, you may find yourself aiming correctly but not getting the kills and rounds you need to win to get that all-important victory. Going from your first few hours to the first hundred will involve a lot of dedication and the right mindset to better your performance in-game. This guide will go over 8 strategies and tips to get yourself up the ranks, and better your skill in CSGO. 

Practice makes perfect.

It’s no secret that practicing anything will help you improve at it, and with CSGO the same concept works. Crucially, the more you play CSGO, the better you will be at it. Although practicing against real players around the world will be a great idea to get better at the game, you can focus your practice on more specific areas.

For example, CSGO has built-in bots which you can set up private lobbies with yourself, or even friends to play against bots at several difficulty levels. By doing so, you will get experience learning the maps, learning recoil control, and better your aim when fighting bots. 

You can also find training maps that will help you better yourself in CSGO. Here are some of the most well-known and most helpful training maps to help you get better at CSGO.

Best Aim Map – “training_aim_csgo2”

Best Recoil Map – “Recoil Master” 

The Best Overall Training Map(s) – “Yprac Practice Maps”

These maps will not only help you better yourself but will help you gain the technicality and mechanics to play the game to the best of your ability. 

Learn CSGO Utility

Many people think that Counter-Strike is simply an aiming game. If you can aim, you can win. Whilst this is somewhat true, and hitting your shots is important, this is maybe 30% of the overall game. Many games like CSGO, including CSGO, rely on teamwork and communication. 

Learning your utility (smokes, flashes, grenades, Molotov’s), etc. It Will not only help you be a better player but a better teammate too, allowing you to win more games and getting commendations from your teammates and friends. If you don’t know your utilities, there are many YouTube videos and guides that allow you to find the lineups and mechanics you need to master the art of utility. 

Learn CSGO Maps and their Callouts

You may be wandering around online games and noticing people are telling you some strange words like “Goose” or “Red Train”. If you’re confused, don’t worry – there’s a reason for this. These words are map ‘callouts. Knowing your callouts will make you a better teammate, and a more reactive player overall. Every map has around 30 ‘areas’ that are defined by a name. These include words like “goose”, “silo”, “vent”, “squeaky” and all of these should be well-known by all CSGO players.

Similarly, to learning your CSGO utility, you can simply search on YouTube to find the call-outs, but there are some maps online that show you where the specific areas are. Knowing these will not only help you be able to react to your teammate’s calls, but will help you communicate to your teammates to ensure you win the rounds you need, and more importantly win the game. 

Watch Professional CSGO

A slightly more unconventional training tip to get better at CSGO is by watching the best. Something that worked for us is watching professional tournaments with some of the best CSGO players out there. Although entertaining and a massive adrenaline rush in some cases, watching CSGO players play their best is a great way to learn how to play CSGO.

Although they make it look easy, always take notes of their positions, their actions, and where they’re aiming. By doing this you will not only learn how to play like a pro but will also make you think like one to better 

We recommend watching some CSGO tournaments, as this is when pros are playing their best, and you will likely stumble across a tournament regardless of when you look!

Crosshair and Positioning

Although we’ve mentioned that aiming isn’t the main factor of the game, it still plays a pretty big part. Making sure you have the right crosshair; crosshair positioning and player positioning is crucial. 

Making sure that you’re holding tight, but achievable angles are very important. Remember, regardless of if you’re playing CT / T-side, you will not need to push out straight away and risk your life. Being a passive threat whilst playing is crucial, as you can punish players who push you too aggressively, and take control of sites that otherwise could’ve been lost.

TheWarOwl made a brilliant video about 5 years ago, showcasing this – take a look below!

Why should you get better at CSGO?

Everyone has their reasons to get better at CSGO. It may be that you want to be more competitive and a better player, or maybe you want to play casually but still dominate the battlefield, maybe you want to become a professional, but there is no reason why you shouldn’t try to improve. 

The chances are if you are a relatively new player, that playing CSGO at even mid-high ranks is still challenging, and every game is different, so why not give yourself a challenge and dominate the field to be the best CSGO player out there. 

Summary

Hopefully, this guide has helped you to be a better player within CSGO, and remember that you need to keep practicing in every aspect, even if you’re already amazing. Practice might not make perfect every time, but it might give you a breakthrough and give you a push forward to be the better CSGO player we all know you possess.