How to abuse CS2 map voting and always get your favorite map

Map voting is one of the most controversial features in CS2, but clever players can bend the system to their advantage.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive had a pretty limited map pick system. Due to the lack of map voting, most players would spam the same few locations, restricting others from enjoying less-played maps in Counter-Strike 2.  For instance, maps like Vertigo could take up to an hour to gather ten players interested in playing it simultaneously. Players breathed a sigh of relief when Valve added map voting to CS2, but the new system isn’t perfect by any stretch.

If players are tired of playing the same old maps every game, here’s how to game the CS2 map voting system in their favor.

How to use the CS2 map voting system

The CS2 map voting system is a detailed and strategic feature, complete with graphs and stats to aid in your decision-making. Upon entering the voting screen, players are presented with a graph featuring two projections. The graphs indicate the win rate for every map on both sides.

The grey lines show a player’s team’s average win rate on each map, and the red is for the enemy. They can then use this information to their advantage to maximize the chances of loading into a preferred map.

During CS2 map voting, the primary goal should be to have as many top maps in the final voting as possible. Here are a few tips to achieve that.

• Players in solo queue should use the team chat feature to communicate with teammates during voting. Try to stack votes on the team’s best map to guarantee it moves on.
• Don’t ban the enemy’s worst maps on your first round of voting. They are more likely to ban them anyway. This is particularly relevant in low ELO games, as players are generally less inclined to take risks.
• Always make a point to ban the enemy’s most successful maps right off the bat to reduce their options. If their most successful map is similar to the team’s, compare the win rate by using the graph. Again, solo queuers should ban the map if their win rate is higher.
• ⁠If you’re playing to win and get the second ban vote, always avoid the enemy’s two best maps by analyzing the graph. Prioritizing risky maps over your preferred locations is best to win a game.

While there’s no foolproof way to get your favorite or best CS2 maps in every single game, mindless voting won’t help either. By carefully analyzing the graph and coordinating with the team, players may be able to win most games by playing in their best spots.