During the decade-long tenure of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive as one of the best FPS shooters that’s available to play, there have been plenty of maps coming in and out of rotation. Players tend to gravitate towards the professional or competitive map pools, which in turn creates an environment in which new players have to either sink or swim and do it quickly. Luckily, there is a way to at least select several favorite maps to practice without getting overwhelmed by everything that is available. In this guide, we will present our picks for the five best beginner maps in CS:GO to help you practice and get ready for everything that the game will throw at you once the kiddie wheels are off.
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Ancient
One of the latest additions to the map pool, the re-emergent Ancient map is in many ways an ideal beginner map. If you can look past the bland texture design and the sea of green, beige, and grey that dot the map, Ancient is a rather small but well-constructed map that lets the opposing teams get to grips with each other quickly and efficiently. Because of that, there is rarely a dull moment, and the two bomb sites are close enough to reward quick responses or direction shifts. The corners and lanes of this map reward good utility usage, which is an integral aspect of CS:GO for all beginners to start learning sooner rather than later.
Dust II
Often considered to be the classic Counter-Strike map and an icon of the franchise, it pays to learn it early. Similarly, it is often considered to be better for shooters than tacticians, so in that vein, it is a great stomping ground to learn your way around taking duels. With three avenues of attack and defense to choose from, you will have an opportunity to hone your close, mid, and long-range shooting skills. And after the Suicide Alley fix, it has become slightly more beginner-friendly too. But only slightly — it is still unwise to take those duels unless you’re ready.
Inferno
When we talk about CS:GO fundamentals, terms such as “clearing corners” and “pre-firing” will crop up in the conversation. Inferno is an ideal map to practice those fundamentals on. There are three lanes, each with varying amounts of cover and tactical approach. Speaking of tactics, this is one of those maps that are most rewarding for teamplay utility setups, which is another important practice point, especially if you’re in a duo with a friend. Meanwhile, the A site is an excellent practice ground for attacking/defending from multiple angles, while rushing B through Banana is a rite of passage in its own right.
Mirage
If Dust is CS royalty, then Mirage is the successor in line for the throne. This map is one of the most played maps during CS:GO’s decade of existence for a good reason. It is extremely well balanced and requires the team to bring everything they know together to play it. It does not teach just a single fundamental, but rather how to bring it all together and use it efficiently, both as Cs and Ts. Clearing corners, lines of fire, pre-firing, sniping, utility use and setups, feints, teamplay — your team needs to use everything in a map that is simple to learn but hard to master.
Nuke
Some maps in CS:GO feature extra verticality in addition to everything else that you have to keep track of. The best map to learn how to deal with that is Nuke, as it will prepare you for other such maps like Vertigo, Train, and Office, for example. This map also has a two-story setup that positions the two bomb sites one above the other, which teaches how to handle routes, as well as just how important paying attention to sound cues is. The inside of the plant is great for mid-range and close-range firefights, while the wide open space of the outside area plays favorably towards good utility use to set up crossing or defending it.
