The competitive mode (also called matchmaking) is closed to players who first logged into the game. You need to get the second level (private rank) to open access to it. Experience to increase private rank is earned in other modes: deathmatch, retake, normal (public). To increase the level, you need to earn 5 thousand points, and this can be done in several games in public.
After entering matchmaking, you need to win 10 games to get the Skill Group (competitive rank). The game deliberately does not allow you to win more than 2 games a day; after that you will be banned for 21 hours. Valve attributes this ban to the need for accurate rank calibration. Blocking only affects matchmaking, you can play in any other mode. After 10 victories, a title is issued and there will no longer be a limit on victories per day.
Premier mode appeared not so long ago, in which players determine by voting which map they will play on. There are 7 competitive maps to choose from (Mirage, Dust 2, Inferno, Nuke, Ancient, Vertigo, Overpass). Also, players can choose the side for which they will start the game.
During the match, detailed statistics are given, and all the damage that the player deals in the game is visible. In the normal competitive mode, the player himself chooses which maps he wants to play on. The side is chosen randomly, and only standard statistics are given: kills, deaths, assists, percentage of headshots, average damage per round, and points. There is also an Unranked mode in which you can play by the rules and maps of normal matchmaking, but the results in this mode do not affect the rank.
Some guns in the game can be changed. There is a choice between Deagle and R8 Revolver, M4 with and without a silencer, Tec-9, CZ-75, or Five-Seven, MP5, and MP7. To change weapons, you need to go to inventory before you started the game in matchmaking, go to equipment, select the weapon you want to change, and then select a new gun.
• The revolver is worse than the Desert Eagle due to too much spread, shot preparation, and low ammo.
• The default M4A4 has a high rate of fire and more ammo in the magazine (30 vs 25), while the M4A1-S has less spread and better accuracy when firing on the move.
• TEC-9 and Five-Seven are suitable for players who like to run and shoot; they also kill in the head from the first bullet, even a player in a helmet (only very close range). The CZ-75 has less damage, but it is more accurate and has a very high fire rate (the fire rate is similar to the Riffle).
• There are no significant differences between MP7 and MP5.
There are not enough 1 vs 1 duels before the start to warm up before the game. To warm up, you can go to DM servers - either official or amateur. If the warm-up on the DM is not enough for you, then you can download special warm-up maps from the workshop. The most popular is Aim botz, which many pro players use to warm up. There are other maps for warming up, and you can train sprays, prefires, shooting at moving opponents on them.
Before launching the map in matchmaking for the first time, play it in public or with bots to understand where the bombsites are located (there are always 2 of them) and how fast you can run to them from the spawn of terrorists and special forces.
On unique maps from the workshop, you can study each map in detail: timings, grenade placements, and optimal routes to any position on the map.
In order to give information about the enemy or your location, memorize the positions on the map. The official and used names of many positions are often different, as players are always looking for easier ways to name a position. Sometimes they are named after the pro players who made the highlight from this place.
