Winning both pistol rounds gives you a 68% chance of winning the game, and only a 23%
Winning both pistol rounds gives you a 68% chance of winning the game, and only a 23%

chance of losing.
chance of losing.

This is according to a Reddit post by Physicaque, which documented HLTV’s results for ‘big
This is according to a Reddit post by Physicaque, which documented HLTV’s results for ‘big

events’ in 2016.
events’ in 2016.

This begs the question: Are pistol rounds too important?
This begs the question: Are pistol rounds too important?

And what can be done about them?
And what can be done about them?

The reason winning the pistol rounds makes such an impact is because it isn’t just
The reason winning the pistol rounds makes such an impact is because it isn’t just

about the pistol round.
about the pistol round.

Winning it puts you in a strong economic position for the next while the enemy team has to make
Winning it puts you in a strong economic position for the next while the enemy team has to make

do with far less.
do with far less.

Statistically, this greatly improves your chances of winning both the second AND third
Statistically, this greatly improves your chances of winning both the second AND third

rounds as well!
rounds as well!

Do this twice a game and you’ve effectively got 6 rounds in the bag and less than a 25%
Do this twice a game and you’ve effectively got 6 rounds in the bag and less than a 25%

chance of losing the game as a whole.
chance of losing the game as a whole.

A pretty big advantage to be had from what is effectively 2 rounds of work.
A pretty big advantage to be had from what is effectively 2 rounds of work.

When you think about it, is it any wonder that the team that wins both pistol rounds
When you think about it, is it any wonder that the team that wins both pistol rounds

is more likely to win the game?
is more likely to win the game?

The better team IS more likely to win both pistol rounds, more often than not, as well
The better team IS more likely to win both pistol rounds, more often than not, as well

as the game in full!
as the game in full!

Valve actually responded to the Reddit post with statistics from 2 million recent competitive
Valve actually responded to the Reddit post with statistics from 2 million recent competitive

matches.
matches.

They reached an almost identical outcome to the original graph.
They reached an almost identical outcome to the original graph.

And although you might think that pistol rounds are the most random bits of the game- I do
And although you might think that pistol rounds are the most random bits of the game- I do

too- Valve’s results stated otherwise.
too- Valve’s results stated otherwise.

They found that the outcome of pistol rounds was no more random than any other round of
They found that the outcome of pistol rounds was no more random than any other round of

the match.
the match.

You hear that, people?
You hear that, people?

Being better at pistol rounds might simply mean that your team is better!
Being better at pistol rounds might simply mean that your team is better!

And we’ve seen in recent updates that Valve are keen to rebalance the pistols.
And we’ve seen in recent updates that Valve are keen to rebalance the pistols.

The glock has been adjusted, which will greatly affect the pistol rounds.
The glock has been adjusted, which will greatly affect the pistol rounds.

I don’t know whether it’s for better or for worse right now, since trying to improve
I don’t know whether it’s for better or for worse right now, since trying to improve

CS:GO’s balance at this stage is a VERY difficult task.
CS:GO’s balance at this stage is a VERY difficult task.

Every change will have unforeseen consequences.
Every change will have unforeseen consequences.

Apart from Valve’s accidental recent changes to the galil, famas and tagging, which embarrassingly
Apart from Valve’s accidental recent changes to the galil, famas and tagging, which embarrassingly

were not noticed for a while until discovered within the game’s files by Steveven3 and
were not noticed for a while until discovered within the game’s files by Steveven3 and

Slothsquadron.
Slothsquadron.

But you get the idea.
But you get the idea.

You make one weapon more powerful and this indirectly changes the balance of the other
You make one weapon more powerful and this indirectly changes the balance of the other

weapons in the game, the meta eventually changes because of it and so on.
weapons in the game, the meta eventually changes because of it and so on.

But say we decide that pistol rounds ARE too important.
But say we decide that pistol rounds ARE too important.

They might be no more random than any other round, but why should their results directly
They might be no more random than any other round, but why should their results directly

doom players for the next 2 rounds as well?
doom players for the next 2 rounds as well?

Maybe the solution doesn’t lie with the pistol rounds themselves, but with those next
Maybe the solution doesn’t lie with the pistol rounds themselves, but with those next

2 rounds and with the options the losing team has.
2 rounds and with the options the losing team has.

On one hand, you want to reward the winner of the pistol round.
On one hand, you want to reward the winner of the pistol round.

But on the other, you don’t want to punish the losing side too much!
But on the other, you don’t want to punish the losing side too much!

They’re already a round down, that’s bad enough!
They’re already a round down, that’s bad enough!

I believe the old solution when the first round was lost was to buy the tec9 and to
I believe the old solution when the first round was lost was to buy the tec9 and to

rush B, which gave forcing teams a high chance of landing a flukey win.
rush B, which gave forcing teams a high chance of landing a flukey win.

Valve nerfed this long ago but perhaps these recent adjustments- which have involved stat
Valve nerfed this long ago but perhaps these recent adjustments- which have involved stat

or price changes to almost every pistol in the game- were less about pistol round balance
or price changes to almost every pistol in the game- were less about pistol round balance

and more to do with the 2nd and 3rd rounds… as well as any other force-buy situations.
and more to do with the 2nd and 3rd rounds… as well as any other force-buy situations.

We could also reduce the importance of winning the pistol round by giving losing teams a
We could also reduce the importance of winning the pistol round by giving losing teams a

decent third round buy option.
decent third round buy option.

Falling into this category would be the SMGs, famas and galil.
Falling into this category would be the SMGs, famas and galil.

You could improve their stats or lower their price.
You could improve their stats or lower their price.

Or you could make them more obtainable by adjusting the kill and end of round bonuses.
Or you could make them more obtainable by adjusting the kill and end of round bonuses.

There are many ways that you could make a third round buy more feasible, which would
There are many ways that you could make a third round buy more feasible, which would

lower the pistol round’s consequences from 6 down to just 4 of the game’s rounds.
lower the pistol round’s consequences from 6 down to just 4 of the game’s rounds.

As sad as it is that I have to mention this, an argument for reducing the importance of
As sad as it is that I have to mention this, an argument for reducing the importance of

pistol round wins would be cheaters.
pistol round wins would be cheaters.

They can tip the balance of the match in their favour simply by having cheats enabled only
They can tip the balance of the match in their favour simply by having cheats enabled only

for pistol rounds, especially since nobody will be wearing helmets.
for pistol rounds, especially since nobody will be wearing helmets.

They’d also appear innocent in the majority of overwatch cases, which don’t extend long
They’d also appear innocent in the majority of overwatch cases, which don’t extend long

enough to include both pistol rounds in a single viewing!
enough to include both pistol rounds in a single viewing!

On the plus side, as Valve says, teams who win pistol rounds are generally better in
On the plus side, as Valve says, teams who win pistol rounds are generally better in

the rest of the rounds as well, which wouldn’t happen if cheats were being toggled, so hopefully
the rest of the rounds as well, which wouldn’t happen if cheats were being toggled, so hopefully

this kind of cheating is rare.
this kind of cheating is rare.

Regardless, we can nerf it by lessening the importance of winning pistol rounds.
Regardless, we can nerf it by lessening the importance of winning pistol rounds.

To get the same advantage they’d then have to cheat for more rounds which would make
To get the same advantage they’d then have to cheat for more rounds which would make

their cheating more obvious.
their cheating more obvious.

Or, alternatively, we leave things the way they are.
Or, alternatively, we leave things the way they are.

Maybe we’re trying to find a solution that isn’t needed.
Maybe we’re trying to find a solution that isn’t needed.

Changing things for changes’ sake.
Changing things for changes’ sake.

If Valve’s stats are to be believed, and pistol rounds are no more random than any
If Valve’s stats are to be believed, and pistol rounds are no more random than any

other, then why does it matter if it affects the next 2 rounds as well?
other, then why does it matter if it affects the next 2 rounds as well?

Sure, 68% of double-pistol-wins result in victory, but does that perhaps make the 23%
Sure, 68% of double-pistol-wins result in victory, but does that perhaps make the 23%

of losses all the more valuable to experience and to spectate?
of losses all the more valuable to experience and to spectate?

Perhaps clawing back victory in the 2nd or 3rd rounds, against all odds, makes the Counter
Perhaps clawing back victory in the 2nd or 3rd rounds, against all odds, makes the Counter

Strike experience more enthralling than one where the tide changes every round for balances’
Strike experience more enthralling than one where the tide changes every round for balances’

sake.
sake.

I don’t think I have the answers to this.
I don’t think I have the answers to this.

Though I’m sure the comments section of this video will, I suggest you look there
Though I’m sure the comments section of this video will, I suggest you look there

instead.
instead.