Retake
The clock is the key. After a plant, the CTs have 40 seconds before the bomb explodes, and the defuse itself takes 10 seconds without a kit or 5 seconds with one. A retake that clears the site too late still loses.
Why teams retake on purpose: instead of stacking every player on one site, many CT setups leave a site lightly defended and plan to retake it. That way they do not lose players early and can come back together with grenades.
What makes a retake work: numbers (4 CTs against 2 Ts is very different from 2 against 4), grenades to clear the Ts' hiding spots, and coming in together rather than one by one.
The opposite situation, Ts defending a planted bomb, is called a post-plant.
Learn the timers in How Long Is a Round in CS2?
Related guides
How Long Is a Round in CS2?A CS2 round lasts up to 1:55. After a plant, the 40-second bomb timer takes over, so a round can run past two minutes. Freeze time and defuse explained.
ClutchA clutch in CS2 is when the last player alive on a team wins the round against one or more opponents. What 1v2 or 1v3 means and why clutches matter.
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