Inferno in CS2: Callouts, Layout and How Pros Play It

Updated Oct 8, 2026 · 2 min read

Inferno at a glance

First released: 2001, original Counter-Strike
Big reworks: rebuilt for CS: Source (2005), revamped in CS:GO (2016), updated for CS2
In the current pool: since CS2 launch
Side lean: close to even in recent pro data
Known for: the Banana fight, grenade-heavy executes, close-range duels

The layout

B site is reached from the T side only through Banana. CTs fight for Banana early, often with molotovs and grenades, to slow the Ts down.
Mid leads from the T side toward Second mid and Arch, giving the Ts a way to pressure A and cut CT rotations.
A site is attacked through Apartments (Apps) and Short (from mid). The A site has a lot of hiding spots, which makes it hard to clear.

Key callouts

Area	Callouts
B site	Banana, Car, Coffins, New box, Fountain, Construction, Dark
Mid	Mid, Second mid, Arch, Library, Short
A site	Apartments (Apps), Balcony, Boiler, Pit, Graveyard, Truck, Moto
Spawns	T spawn, CT spawn

How pros play Inferno

T side. The first job is to win Banana. Teams use smokes, flashes and molotovs to push up the lane and then decide: commit to B, or use Banana control to fake B and hit A through Apartments and Short. A full A execute on Inferno needs a lot of grenades because of all the corners on the site.

CT side. Two players usually fight for Banana with grenades in the first seconds of the round. If the CTs hold Banana, the Ts have to go A or waste time. One or two players play A around Pit and Library. Because the sites are close together, CTs rotate quickly and retakes are common.

What to watch: how many grenades each team spends on Banana in the first 30 seconds. A team that wins Banana cheaply has the upper hand for the rest of the round.

Inferno in the veto

Inferno is one of the most banned maps in the pool. Teams either love it and pick it, or avoid it because it needs so much practiced grenade work. It rewards preparation and discipline more than individual aim. See Map Veto in CS2.

Upcoming matches

All current maps are listed in the CS2 Map Pool guide.

FAQ

What is Banana on Inferno?

Banana is the long curved lane from the T side to B site. Control of Banana decides most rounds on Inferno, because it is the only direct T route to B.

Is Inferno CT or T sided?

In recent pro data Inferno is close to even. It used to be known as CT-sided, and it is still a map where defenders who control Banana early are hard to break.

How old is Inferno?

Inferno first appeared in the original Counter-Strike in 2001. It was rebuilt for Counter-Strike: Source, revamped in CS:GO in 2016 and updated again for CS2.

Related guides

CS2 Map Pool: Current Active Duty Maps and Every ChangeThe current CS2 Active Duty pool: Ancient, Anubis, Cache, Dust2, Inferno, Mirage and Nuke. Cache replaced Overpass in July 2026. Every change since launch.
Map Veto in CS2 Explained: How Teams Pick and Ban MapsBefore a CS2 series, teams remove and pick maps from the 7-map pool. How the veto works in BO1 and BO3, what a decider is and who chooses sides.
CT Side vs T Side: How Sides and Halftime Work in CS2In CS2, Terrorists attack and Counter-Terrorists defend. How each side wins a round, when teams switch at halftime and which maps favor CT or T side.
Veto (map veto)The veto is the pick and ban process before a CS2 series: teams remove and choose maps from the 7-map pool. Bans, picks and the decider in a few lines.
RetakeA retake in CS2 is when CTs move back into a bombsite after the bomb is planted, kill the defenders and defuse within 40 seconds. How retakes work.
IGL (in-game leader)An IGL is the in-game leader of a CS2 team: the player who calls strategies, decides buys and adapts mid-round. What the role involves and why it matters.

Sources

Reviewed by the R1GG team