How to Win Eco Rounds in CS2: Complete Guide

Winning eco rounds in CS2 can help you completely turn the tide in a game. People usually take eco rounds as a sure win, and that is where they get greedy and overconfident, giving you a chance to strike while the iron is hot. And if you play your cards right and convert the eco round, not only do you gain momentum, but you also hand them an awkward freeze time to blame each other for mistakes. So, let’s get down to it and see what you should do on an eco round to give your team the best possible chance to win, and what mistakes to avoid.

What is a CS2 eco round?

An eco round is when you don’t have enough money to buy fully into rifles and full utility, so you usually settle for some upgraded pistols, sometimes with, sometimes without armour. You should make note of two things when you are on an eco: the economy of your teammates, and the amount of money combined with the loss bonus. If your teammates can’t buy, it is the wiser choice to not buy yourself.

Taking the loss bonus into account can help you calculate how much you can spend in the eco round while still justifying a full buy in the next round. Then, once you have bought wisely and are ready to step into the warzone, you should know what you are fighting for.

The goal going into an eco round should be to deal as much damage as possible and force a rebuy. If you are able to damage the enemy economy by getting even three kills in the eco round, that’s a win scenario.

What to do on an eco round in CS2

Play as a team

This is the fundamental, most important thing. If you are not playing as a team on eco rounds, you will not win. Sure, there’s always that round when one guy goes berserk and Deags five out of nowhere, but be real, that is not going to happen in your game every time. Regardless of which side you are playing on, you need to play as a team and not focus on individual plays.

Make your utility count

On eco rounds, you won’t have a lot of CS2 utility to play with. Maybe a few flashes, or a smoke if you have the cash to burn. Use it wisely. Make your one flashbang or smoke count. The good thing about eco rounds is that there is less pressure to win, so you can get creative with risky plays. At the very least, you will make yourself harder to predict.

Don’t forget the Zeus

The Zeus is, without a doubt, a very viable option in eco rounds. At just $200, you can one-shot an opponent in an instant if you position yourself wisely. Get sneaky with it, tuck yourself into a corner, and zap the enemy for an easy kill.

How to play on the T-side on an eco round

On T-side eco rounds in CS2, the best part is that you can pick and choose your fight. While it is generally harder to win an eco on the T-side, you get the luxury of choosing your target.

There are several ways you can go about an eco round. You can do a low-effort execute and explode out onto a bombsite with minimal utility. If you have been playing slowly on buy rounds, you can switch up the tempo on eco rounds to surprise your enemies.

Or you can pick a weak link on the defense, overwhelm him with bodies thrown into the mix, get the kill, and then use his weapon to take further engagements. You can also stack up grenades to hope for a lucky kill and then proceed from there.

Even getting a bomb plant is considered a win, so you can also drop the bomb to a lurker and send him to the opposite site. Remember, you can always take risks on eco rounds, so the only limit to creativity is in your head. And well, if you are completely doomed, you can simply use the round time to discuss the game plan.

How to play on the CT side on an eco round

On CT-side, ecos are always fun. The giddy feeling when you’ve stacked a bombsite, and you hear the enemies approaching, is simply “chef’s kiss.” You can also reverse the script and be the aggressive ones together, in hopes of catching the Ts off guard.

You can pop-flash four guys out of a smoke. You can stack four people on site A and buy a few smokes to smoke the other site repeatedly. Once again, playing as a team is important. Even if you don’t get the round win, if you are able to save a few rifles, that’s a lot to celebrate.

How to win against CS2 eco rounds

Now, if you are on the other side of the table and are asked to play against eco rounds, what should you do? Eco rounds can be tricky, and unexpectedly fatal. But if you are against an eco, all you need to remind yourself is that you don’t need to do anything special. You need to make sure you don’t get greedy for the eco frags, and stick to long-range duels well supported by utility.

Once again, make sure to have a teammate nearby to cover for you, or trade you if needed. This will also help prevent your rifles from falling into enemy hands.

If you are on the CT side, be wary of rushes. The Ts won’t have much utility, so you can get the upper hand with your own. Don’t let them dictate the pace; use your utility to gain early map control and force them to play according to you.

And if you are on the T-side, be cautious of stacks. Always send a scout in before committing to a bombsite to make sure it is not stacked.