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donk Wants Pistol Rounds Removed From CS2 and Explains Why
Danil “donk” Kryshkovets of Team Spirit has called for pistol rounds to be removed from Counter-Strike 2. Asked what change he would make to the game, the Russian said he would get rid of pistol rounds, arguing that they carry too much weight for something so unpredictable.
Why Does donk Want Pistol Rounds Removed From CS2?
Pistol rounds are played twice per map in regulation: once at the start of the match and again after teams switch sides. Players begin these rounds with limited money, relying on pistols and a small amount of utility.
Winning a pistol round usually allows a team to buy better weapons and equipment in the following round. The losing side must decide whether to force-buy or save, potentially giving up more rounds before it can afford a full buy.
That impact has become even more significant under the MR12 format, which allows up to 12 rounds per half. With 13 rounds needed to win in regulation, an early economic advantage can make a difference to the score.
Beyond the economic impact, pistol rounds offer fewer tactical options because players have limited utility. In an interview shared by TL;DR, donk explained why he believes these rounds have too much influence on the outcome of matches:
“I think they’re too important and too random to decide a lot in the game.”
donk Leads CS2's All-Time Pistol-Round Rating Rankings
Despite his criticism, donk leads HLTV's all-time CS2 pistol-round rating rankings. As of October 25, he had a 1.60 Rating 3.0 across 536 maps, ahead of ZywOo (1.59) and kl1m (1.58). The ranking includes players who meet HLTV's minimum map requirement.
This was not the first time the Russian had proposed such a change. In September, during an interview published by the TBD_CS channel, he suggested removing pistol rounds or reworking the game's economy. He also mentioned bringing back the cl_bob command from CS:GO and improving the mechanics for extinguishing incendiary grenades.
donk Faces FURIA in Spirit's Next Match
At PGL Masters Bucharest 2026, donk is coming off a strong performance against TYLOO. On Sunday (October 25), he posted a 1.53 rating as Spirit won 2-0, ending a three-match losing streak, the team's first since December 2023.
Spirit's next opponent is FURIA on Monday (October 26) at 11 AM Brasília time, in the third round of the Swiss stage. Both teams enter the best-of-three (Bo3) series with one win and one loss. The winner will be one victory away from the playoffs, while the loser will be one defeat away from elimination.
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Featured image credit: ESL
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