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Part 10

Spike, timings and special rounds

The spike and its timings, the pistol round, the second round, clutches, the scoreline and the choice between saving and going for it.

Every round is worth one point, but not every round is played the same way. The pistol round decides the economy of the next few; a match point has no "later" to save for; a 1v3 with the spike down is won with time and calm, not aim.

This part gathers the rules of the spike (planting, defusing, defuse tricks), the special rounds (pistols, the second round, ecos and anti-ecos), clutches, the context of the scoreline (match point, overtime, comebacks) and the hardest decision: saving or going for it.

Chapters

  1. The spike: planting and defusing

    The spike is the objective of the round. It takes 4 seconds to plant, explodes after 45 and takes 7 to defuse, with a checkpoint halfway. Knowing these timings and the tricks that come from them (half defuse, fake defuse, ninja) wins whole rounds.

    1Recommended from level 1 Premium4 min read

  2. The pistol round

    The first round of each half is played with 800 credits: pistols, light armor and a few abilities. Winning it is worth far more than one point, because it decides the economy of the next rounds. You win it by playing together, with utility, and with a buy that has a plan.

    4Recommended from level 4 Premium4 min read

  3. The second round, anti-ecos and ecos

    The round after the pistols is almost always lopsided: the winners have SMGs and armor, the losers have little. The team with the guns must not hand back its advantage; the team without them must create fights where guns matter little.

    4Recommended from level 4 Premium5 min read

  4. 1vX clutches

    A clutch is a round where you are left alone against several opponents. It is not won with aim alone: it is won by isolating one fight at a time, using time and the spike to your advantage, listening, and deciding calmly when to go for it and when to save.

    6Recommended from level 6 Premium5 min read

  5. Match point, overtime, comebacks

    The scoreline changes what rounds are worth: at match point there is no later to save for, in overtime everyone has 5000 credits, and in comebacks and leads your head matters as much as your guns. Knowing this changes buys, risks and how you play.

    6Recommended from level 6 Premium4 min read

  6. Saving or going for it

    Saving your gun or playing out the round is one of the hardest decisions. You decide by looking at five things: numbers, time, position, economy and scoreline. And you decide early: halfway, you lose both the round and the gun.

    4Recommended from level 4 Premium5 min read

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