Playing Counter Strike can be frustrating and hard for beginners without a firm grasp on the game's strategies. Many competitive players train themselves to use a variety of strategies for different in-game circumstances. Knowing when to use each strategy can mean the difference between winning and losing. New Counter Strike players must familiarize themselves with multiple strategies such as jumping, quick switching, camping and group rushing.

Group Rushing

Counter Strike players will typically "group rush" to achieve a quick victory with the strength of their numbers. A large percentage of a group's players must participate in a group rush for it to be effective. Ten players may gather behind a hall's door and wait for somebody to issue a command before rushing in, attacking the enemy and securing the hall. They must defeat players of the opposing team as quickly as possible or their backup may arrive.

Camping

Some players find success by waiting in a stealthy spot and ambushing incoming enemy players. Waiting in a particular area for enemy players is called "camping". The key to camping is to place the cross hairs of the weapon on a spot where enemy players typically rush from--usually doors, hallways and stairways. To terminate enemy targets without being found, the player must expose as little of himself to the enemy player as possible.

Quick Switching

Players may find themselves running low on ammunition during firefights. A player must know how to switch weapons quickly, without fumbling around with her keyboard. Quick switching allows players to change their weapons with the press of a key. The letter "Q" is the default button to quick switch from a player's current weapon to her backup weapon. Pressing "Q" once will switch the player's main weapon to her pistol and pressing it again will switch from the pistol back to the main weapon. Quick switching is essential for players who use weapons that have low ammo capacities, such as sniper rifles and shotguns.

Jumping

Jumping increases the ability of a player to evade enemy fire. Players will find jumping useful if they use it in a manner suitable for their situation. If an enemy is attacking a player from afar, he can jump rapidly while strafing in order to dodge the incoming fire.

A player who jumps while receiving enemy fire will have a higher chance of incurring wounds to her leg and torso, instead of her head or chest. If a player is engaged in a firefight and is close to the enemy target, then jumping will allow him to dodge fire while aiming for the enemy's head. Another strategy is to jump around corners to confuse enemy campers.