We all have been there (most of us, anyway). You've just won your 10th placement match in Valve's Competitive Matchmaking system, and your new rank? Silver 2.
This guide will show you how to quickly get out of silver in no time. Remember to have patience, as many say silver is the hardest rank to get out of.
Aim
First, you will need to learn how to aim. In lower ranks, this is the biggest problem. In general, you will need to go for head shots. This is a critical aspect of the game because with most weapons, a head shot with no head armor is an instant kill. With armor, it is usually 1 or 2, except for the SMGs, which most times take more. Even taking slightly longer to shoot in order to line up to the head is better because most times, you will get the kill. Additionally, there are plenty of aim maps great for practicing, and 1v1 community servers are also great for aim practicing. Valve can be used in later stages, but FFA community deathmatch servers are always better, although you need to be prepared to die a lot. LOWER YOUR SENSITIVITY! This is an absolute must. Most pros play on 2.26 sensitivity at 400 dpi. These are just averages, but your sensitivity should be close. Get the largest mouse pad you can find, it really helps with those flick shots. Start by decreasing it by around 0.2 every week until you find that by the end of the week you can hit your shots better. Then, continue and make sure it is the correct sensitivity for you, as this is critical to success in the game. Crosshair placement is also an incredibly important skill in the game. If you are looking at the ground, when an enemy rounds a corner, you will have to first correct with your mouse, losing precious time. If you were aiming such that if an enemy turned the corner, you would instantly be on their head, they would be dead immediately. Always beware of this and keep it in mind. A good way to observe your crosshair placement is to watch your demos critically. You will immediately be able to tell that you are doing something wrong.
Recoil
This is a common mistake I see people make all the time. They simply don't understand the recoil mechanics of the game. Every gun has a specified recoil pattern that you will need to compensate for if you are going for sprays. I recommend you start with the AK-47, as it is the most common weapon in the game and it's recoil pattern is fairly straight forward for the first few bullets. First, load up a private server and find a nice flat wall. Stand a ways away from it and shoot all 30 bullets without moving your mouse. Notice the pattern the spray goes in. Now, start trying to compensate for the recoil by moving your mouse in the opposite directions. If the bullets go up, move down. If they go left, move right. Don't be afraid if you miss the last few, as by that point, you will likely also have killed your enemies. The recoil pattern for each gun will be the same. For example, here is the recoil pattern and the respective compensation necessary for the AK-47.
You can find the rest of these gifs here.
Communication
In order to be an effective teammate, you will need to be able to communicate. This means buying a microphone and making proper, useful callouts. Let your teammates know where the enemies are, how many of them there are, and what weapons they have. Make sure you tell them when you see them, not when you die. An example of a good callout would be, "3 top mid, 2 AKs, 1 awp, 1 lit 58" If you die, let your teammates know, and give them information you see from the camera, because you still can get valuable information from it. Give them information about the enemies' remaining health. You can open your developer console and see all the people you hit and how much they were damaged once you die. Also, if you have teammates without microphones, spectate them and make callouts to your team for them. Remember to be nice over the voice comms, and don't rage when you die, just continue to give useful information. You should also bind your voice key to an easier to access key, like the "c" key or a mouse button.
Use grenades
Another common mistake is people don't use their utility, or simply don't buy it in the first place. Learn a few smoke spots for each site on all the maps you want to play. You may want to add a jump-throw bind to your autoexec.cfg file. Sometimes it is a good idea for newer players to only learn one or two maps at a time in so you can learn these smokes easier. Once you master them, start moving on to other maps. Learn a few pop-flashes to quickly take control of sites, and learn effective places to molotov to flush enemies out of camping spots. Learn to use your grenades well, and don't forget you have them when taking or retaking a site. Always remember to call where you are flashing to avoid unnecessarily blinding your teammates.
Economy
The economy is a very important mechanic in CSGO. The economy allows you to buy better equipment to win more rounds. The most important thing to remember is that your money is not your money, it is your team's money. Sometimes, it is better to not use all your money on a single round that you think you are going to lose. It may be better to eco, or buy pistols/shotguns/smgs and save enough money for the next round. The most important thing on these types of rounds is to always buy with your team. If somebody asks for a weapon drop and you have money, give them a drop. Don't be that person that refuses to give weapons to their teammates when they have $16000.
Gamesense
Gamesense is essential knowing when to rotate and where to play. You should start to pick this up as you are playing, but some general rules of thumb are, if many people are on site, but no bomb is spotted, the bomb may be waiting outside the other site waiting for other players to rotate. As a counter terrorist, you need to not play too aggressively. If the site is being rushed, don't be afraid to fall back and wait for the rotate and retake the site together. 5 teammates retaking at the same time is better than 2 and 3 retaking separately.
Additionally, take time to learn the proper ranges of the weapons you tend to use. SMGs and shotguns are good for close range fights, but rifles are better for long range fights. Remember to engage in the correct distance, and don't take a fight you can't win. You should never engage in a fair fight, always stack the odds in your favor. If you are getting demolished, try to back out of the situation and re-engage at a better time and angle. This will come naturally with practice and experience.
Pro Gameplay
Watching professional players is a surefire way to get better at the game. You will learn new smoke spots and strategies that you can apply to your own gameplay. There will be plenty of majors, particularly this summer in July (2017). Be sure to watch as much as you can, and you will start to see your gameplay improve slowly.
Thank you so much for reading, and I hope this guide helps you all!