That day I was super frustrated. I kept losing in the game, getting taken out by the enemy the moment I entered the third round. Sitting at my computer, boiling with rage, I started scrolling through YouTube, hoping to find some “pro tips” to learn.
Then I spotted a video with an eye-catching thumbnail that read: “2022 Dresden Tournament: Watch This and Start Winning Money Now!” I thought, “This is exactly what I need!” Clicking in, the guy spoke super fast, constantly throwing out terms like “T9,” “TC,” and “SMG”—but I had no clue what they meant. It was like listening to foreigners arguing—utter gibberish.
Still, I pushed through, thinking maybe I could pick up a trick or two.
2. First Trial Run: Ended Up Riddled with Holes
I started practicing exactly as he said. He said, “Be aggressive with your positioning.” I interpreted that as “Charge at any enemy you see.” So at the start of every round, I’d grab my pistol and sprint straight for Point B. The result? Four rounds, four headshots. My teammates cursed me out over voice chat—in Russian, so I didn’t even know what they were saying, just that the tone was pure rage.
Then he said, “Stack your multi-purpose items together.” Oh, he meant throw more smoke and fire grenades, right? So I dumped all my smoke and incendiary grenades into a narrow passageway, piling them up like a buffet. The enemy wasn’t scared at all—they just circled around, defusing the grenades while laughing at me in the chat. I was so mad I almost smashed my keyboard.
Another time, I tried to learn “flashbang coordination,” but my hand shook and I blinded my own teammates. Twice! I blinded myself. The craziest part? I was broke with only a few hundred credits left, but I bought a Negev machine gun anyway, reasoning it was for “surprise attacks.” I barely fired two shots before getting counter-killed, giving away a free kill.
Later, I got reported for recklessly throwing smoke grenades, accused of “intentionally feeding the enemy.” I felt so wronged and unfairly treated.
3. True Mastery Begins by Slowing Down
One day, I couldn’t take it anymore. I opened the match replay, set it to 0.25x speed, and watched frame by frame how pro players executed their moves.
That’s when I realized they weren’t constantly charging forward. Many feigned an attack while actually waiting for an opportunity. Take the window area on the Mirage map, for instance. They’d crouch there motionless. When three opponents charged in, instead of confronting them head-on, they’d circle around and blind them with flashbangs from behind.
In that instant, all three enemies were blinded, spinning around, then picked off one by one.Watching this, I was stunned: You can play like this?
I started practicing “waiting” too. No more charging in immediately—instead, I’d hide first and observe enemy movements. Once, I threw a smoke grenade diagonally instead of straight ahead, blocking only one side of their vision. Three players trying to sneakily defuse the bomb thought they were hidden, but I could see them clearly and took them all out.
In that moment, I felt like I’d won the jackpot—I nearly smashed my keyboard in celebration.
4. My Own Hard-Learned Tips (All Earned Through Failure)
Gradually, I started noting down useful strategies. These are all my own discoveries, not copied from anyone:
- Don’t sprint recklessly from the start. Fake a charge—run a few steps, then abruptly stop and hide.
- Always keep one grenade on hand when retreating. Once, I used that grenade to blow up my pursuer and save my own life. This happened seven times.
- After killing someone, don’t rush to reload. I noticed many people (including me) get ambushed and killed while reloading. Now, after taking someone down, I stay still first to check for enemies around me.
- After a kill, always change your position. Lurking in the same spot makes it easy for opponents to predict your location—you’ll get shot the moment you show your head.
After using these methods for three days, my win rate jumped from 38% to 52%. Sure, I still can’t handle the shotgun properly, and my AK shakes like a trembling rabbit when I fire it, but at least I’m no longer that reckless “human target” charging around blindly.
5. Final thought: Don’t fall for “quick-fix secrets.” Slow and steady wins the race.
Looking back at that video now, it wasn’t teaching gameplay—it was selling ads. Throwing around jargon to create anxiety, making you feel like “falling behind if you don’t watch.”
Real progress doesn’t come from listening to others spout quick tips. It comes from trying, failing, and adjusting.
Gaming is like learning to speak—everyone stutters at first. But if you’re willing to slow down, listen more, and practice diligently, one day you’ll speak clearly enough for others to understand.
