Without proper communication the level of CS:GO matches is always low. Therefore, knowing the competitive maps and the names of the positions is the first step to play in matchmaking and start climbing the ranks.
As credits shown in the images, the maps below are produced by Games Academy and Gamersclub. At the end of the article, for those who still don't know, we also explain the rules related to maps in CS:GO championships. Check out!
1. Dust2
Undoubtedly the greatest classic of Counter Strike. Dust2 has been in the game from the start and remains active in competitive after some tweaks and updates.
Like Mirage, Dust2 is a map basically divided into A, middle and B. Bombsite B is extremely closed and generally needs only one player defending it. However, when overpowered by terrorists, it is considered one of the most difficult to resume in the game.
One of the biggest points of interest in Dust2 for terrorists is the Balcony and Ladder control. After gaining these points, TRs can easily rotate the attack between A and B according to decisions made mid-round.
Even though the Balcony is such an important point, the biggest contact point on the map is the Bottom (including the Corner, Hole and NBK). It is very common for CTs to send three players at the beginning of the round to gain control of the area, leave only one defender and then return, similar to what happens in Banana in Inferno.
2. Hell
Another great game classic. Like Dust2, Inferno has been present since the first versions and has already received several touches.
As with other maps, Inferno's B bombsite is quite susceptible to rushes. However, the path to it (Banana) is the most contested area among all the maps in the game. It is now common for teams to send three defenders to throw grenades at the start and try to delay the terrorists' dominance.
Eventually the control of Banana and Car/Cement is obtained by the terrorists, so the main objective of the CT in the area is to ensure that the TR pay dearly for it, either with deaths or, at least, with many grenades used.
The path to A is more open. Generally, terrorists are distributed among at least two of the three paths: NIP, Xuxa and Varanda.
On defense, two players are usually dedicated to the B and three to the A. However, a defender who has full view of Banana is enough to hold the bombsite, given enough time to retreat and call for reinforcements. In these scenarios, it is common to see four players defending A's entrances, and the Arc player is responsible for returning to B when necessary.
3. Mirage
Mirage, like Dust2, is an A, middle, and B type map. The biggest point of interest is the Middle, including everything around it: Passage, Wagon, Elevator, and L. For terrorists, control of the Middle means that the team can attack any bombsite from more than one side.
Bombsite A is targeted by several different executions (smokes can cover all lines of defense, isolating CTs) and one of the easiest to resume in the game. Therefore, it is common for many teams to give up the plant to organize the retake, instead of actively defending the bombsite.
Regarding defense, the most common formation is 2-1-2. As the Janelão is constantly smoked, it is common for Middle players to be in Ligação, Happy or L.
4. Train
Train is a map considered favorable for CT, so it's common to see halves ending up in 11x4 or even 12x3 for defense. This is because the map is full of open areas connected to narrow passages. Thus, when the TRs leave the narrow corridors, they have to face a defense distributed in several points of the open areas, both in A and B.
Usually the defensive formation is three in A and two in B, but it is also common to see only one player in B closely defending the region of B1 Low. As soon as he hears of any activity, he calls for reinforcements.
The Firefighter or Ladder area is one of the most disputed on the map, as it opens up an extremely fast rotation path between bombsites. Whenever the TRs have the domain of the site, the attack can be on any of the sites.
The Train is a very suitable map for using AWP as it is full of long straights and long distances.
5. Nuke
Nuke is a different map from all the others as it has two floors and the bombsites are located exactly on top of each other. For this reason, it is the most difficult map to understand when watching matches.
The map is one of the smallest in the game besides being very closed. Thus, using pistols and shotguns is more viable than on other maps, as well as encouraging more forced purchases.
In terms of map control, CTs need to defend A from inside the bombsite. OB allows for more space and defense takes place on the Ramp and all corridors between the Secret and the B bombsite.
The rotation between the two bombsites happens through the Duct, so players can automatically descend from A to B within seconds.
6. Overpass
The biggest competitive map in the game. Combat in Overpass is different and more time consuming than other maps as duels can take place in literally any region of the map. That's because Overpass is the most conducive map for CTs to be aggressive and advance the line of defense as much as possible. Thus, it is common to see duels even in the Beco or Firefighter region, which are almost at Base TR.
As the bombsites are very close, the defense rotation is very fast, which makes the map more favorable for the CT.
Bombsite B is usually defended by two players within the site, but also allows aggression in the Sewer region. Defense on A usually starts forward in the Bathroom, Bottom, and Bed, but eventually gets pushed back to the site, where it still retains several options.
The Bond, Metal and Balloon region are the middle of the map, and whoever has the mastery will be able to rotate quickly when needed.
7. Vertigo
Vertigo makes its first appearance on the competitive CS:GO scene in 2022 and not even some pro players knew about the map before that. So far there is not enough material to analyze the map metagame, but it is known that it will have similarities with Nuke, given its small size and the possibility of rapid rotation between bombsites.
Check out the main features of Vertigo here!
Rules for choosing maps in championships
In CS:GO championships, the maps to be played are defined by an alternating system of exclusion or choice, varying according to the length of the match.
best of 1 matches
Best of 1 matches take place on only one map which will be defined as follows:
- Team 1 vetoes a map it does not wish to play on.
- Team 2 vetoes another map it doesn't want to play on.
- The process is repeated until there is only one map left, on which the game will be played.
best of 3 matches
Best-of-3 matches take place on three maps that are chosen as follows:
- Team 1 vetoes a map it does not wish to play on.
- Team 2 vetoes another map it doesn't want to play on.
- Team 1 chooses a map on which the first match will take place.
- Team 2 chooses a map on which the second match will take place.
- Team 1 vetoes a map it does not wish to play on.
- Team 2 chooses the map for the third match, if necessary.
best of 5 matches
Best-of-5 matches take place on five maps that are chosen as follows:
- Team 1 vetoes a map it does not wish to play on.
- Team 2 vetoes another map it doesn't want to play on.
- Team 1 chooses a map on which the first match will take place.
- Team 2 chooses a map on which the second match will take place.
- Teams continue to alternately choose the maps they want to play on until the order is set.
See also:
- Everything you need to know about patents in CS:GO!
- Complete and up-to-date savings guide in CS:GO!
- Essential tips for competitive CS:GO players
