The best CS2 maps for grenade practice are Mirage, Dust2, Overpass, Inferno and Vertigo. Each has a set of standard smokes, flashes and molotovs that teams use almost every round, so a lineup you learn there pays off in your next match. The easiest way to drill them is on a local server with infinite grenades; below are the key lineups for all five maps.
A grenade lineup is a throw you learn in advance to land a grenade on a key spot of the map. One accurate throw can decide a round, and your grenade supply is limited, so every one of them has to count.
Why You Should Know Grenade Lineups in CS2
Lineups let you throw grenades efficiently and reach the most strategically important spots on the map. CS2 has five types of grenades:
Flashbang. It blinds an opponent partially or fully in an instant, which gives you a window to peek or reposition.
Smoke grenade. It creates a cloud of smoke for about 20 seconds that fully blocks vision in an area. Both sides use smokes to slow down pushes and cut off sightlines.
HE grenade. When it explodes, everyone within its radius takes damage.
Molotov or incendiary grenade. It sets an area of the ground on fire for 7 seconds and keeps damaging anyone standing in it. Practice on a lineup map is the fastest way to learn where to throw it.
Decoy grenade. It imitates gunfire to distract the enemy.
Throwing grenades well gives you several advantages. It lets you:
Control the map. A well-placed smoke blocks the enemy's vision, so you can hold or take an area while the opponent is restricted.
Spend less on utility. Grenades that land where they should are not wasted, and that matters for the CS2 economy.
Read the enemy's position. Once you know the common lineups, you can tell where a grenade came from and where the thrower is standing, because most spots are smoked with just one or two popular throws.
Lineups are used to stall an attack, take a part of the map, push enemies out of position, clear a bombsite and support a fast peek.
Grenade practice builds a skill that gives you a real advantage in every match.
The Best Maps for Grenade Practice in CS2
The Steam Workshop has plenty of grenade practice maps for CS2, but many of them go stale quickly and are not updated by their authors. That is why we recommend learning lineups on the same maps you play in matchmaking.
The most convenient setup is a local server: you can launch a map on your own or with friends, turn on infinite grenades and remove the bots so they do not get in the way of your throws.
Mirage
Mirage is set in a Middle Eastern town. It is fairly easy to learn, which is one of the reasons it remains one of the most played maps.
The story is simple: terrorists have taken over the town and want to blow it up, while counter-terrorists try to stop them and protect civilians.
Practice lineups on Mirage regularly, since they often decide how a round goes. Smokes are considered the most effective utility here: thrown correctly, they frequently set up a won round.
The best-known T-side lineups on Mirage:
CT smoke. It stops counter-terrorists from rotating to the A site. Start in the pit or next to Tetris, aim at a reference point on the wall or roof and throw so the smoke lands on the CT position and blocks their view.
Stairs smoke. Stand in the pit and aim at the edge of the wall next to Tetris. The smoke should cover the view from Stairs, so terrorists can move onto the site safely.
Window smoke. Start in front of the trash can in T spawn, aim slightly left of the edge of the gray stripe on the wall, hold "D" and jump-throw.
CT-side lineups worth practicing on Mirage:
Smoke into the pit. Stand with your back flat against the metal pipes on A site, aim slightly above the lettering on the crate and throw.
Mid smoke. Start from the corner at the beginning of the round, aim at the base of the antenna, press "D", jump and throw.
Apartments smoke. There are two ways to do it. For the first, stand by the dumpster, aim at the green tarp and throw. For the second, stand at Short and aim slightly left of the tower before throwing.
Grenades thrown to the right spots win rounds: a smoke can draw attention or lock down an area, and good use of flashes and molotovs lets you come out ahead in close fights.
Dust2
Players love Dust2 for its simple layout, plenty of spots for practice and duels, and room for AWPers. The best lineups on this map:
A site smoke. This is the most important throw for an A attack: the smoke lands toward the counter-terrorists and blocks the path to the site. Stand against the barrel at the exit toward A, aim at the lower left corner of the metal structure on the opposite wall and jump-throw.
B site smoke. Stand against the box at CT, aim at the wooden structure on the tall wall and jump-throw.
B window molotov. An easy one: stand at the exit to B, aim above the house and throw. The molotov clears the wall, bounces a few times and sets the area by the window on fire, cutting off the defenders' path.
Overpass
Overpass is one of the maps Valve heavily reworked for the CS2 launch in 2023. Strategically it is among the most demanding maps: you need to know how to take key positions, and team coordination matters a lot.
The lineups to master on this map:
A site. To take A, use smokes and flashes together. A smoke on Bank cuts off the defenders' view of the site, and flashes thrown toward Long blind opponents so you can enter safely.
B site. Here, smokes should cover Heaven and the other defender angles, limiting how the counter-terrorists can shoot at the attackers. To make the entry safe, flash the site just before you go in and use molotovs to clear the usual hiding spots.
Overpass is a fairly tough map for beginners, so expect to spend a lot of time practicing on it.
Inferno
On Inferno, grenades and tactics go hand in hand. The map is full of narrow alleys, tight corners and a few open areas, and smokes help you take the strongest positions at key points. Note that Valve updated Inferno in March 2026, so some older lineups may no longer work: check each one on a local server before relying on it.
The main T-side smokes on Inferno:
Arch smoke. It is the first step toward taking Long. Walk up to the door in Second Mid, stand in the corner, aim at the spot under the left shutters and throw. The smoke covers the position where the enemy AWPer usually stands.
Long smoke. A basic throw for any A execute. Stand in the corner behind the door, aim at the middle of the roof and throw. Done right, it brings your team much closer to taking A.
Deep Banana smoke (CT side). Stand by the chairs, aim at the upper middle part of the windows and throw. If it lands correctly, the defenders can take Banana control.
Vertigo
What makes Vertigo special for grenade practice is that both bombsites are very hard to take. Entering A without a smoke screen, for example, is almost impossible.
The key utility on Vertigo:
Smoke on the Nine. One of the simplest smokes on the map. Stand in the corner by the cement bags, aim at the second concrete slab at the base of the crane and throw. Done right, it covers the balcony and the exit from the passage.
Mid flash. Blinding the defenders lets you take Mid safely. Stand in the corner pressed against the pipe, aim at the corner of the beams and throw. If your aim drifts slightly down or left, the flash still works.
Connector molotov. It makes taking Mid easier. Start from the corner on the left side of the pipe, aim along the edge of the awning and throw. The fire quickly forces out anyone hiding behind the cement bags.
Good grenade lineups on CS2 maps are one of the keys to winning as a team. To build the skill without wasting utility in real matches, practice on the maps above. Once your lineups are solid, move on to aim maps and prefire training maps.
FAQ
Which map is best for grenade practice as a beginner?
Mirage and Dust2. Their layouts are simple, and most players know the basic smokes there, so lineups you learn work right away in matches. Leave Overpass and Vertigo for later.
How do you practice grenade lineups in CS2?
Load the map on a local server, turn on infinite grenades and repeat each throw from the same spot until it lands consistently. Then test the lineup in a real match.
Do CS:GO lineups still work in CS2?
Many do, but not all. Maps have changed in CS2 (Overpass was reworked and Inferno updated in March 2026), and smokes are now volumetric, so recheck every old lineup.
Which grenades should you learn first?
Start with smokes: they block AWPers and defenders and most often decide a site entry. Then learn entry flashes and molotovs that clear enemies out of cover.
