Rank progression is a mix of personal skill and smart play. One of the guides I found helpful is https://dmarket.com/cs2-wiki/, which breaks down ranking mechanics, effective communication, and how performance impacts your progress. What helped me climb was focusing on my own consistency rather than blaming teammates. Even when matches go badly, you can still improve your individual stats like ADR, utility usage, and survival rate. Another overlooked factor is queueing with a small group of friends to minimize randomness. Beyond gameplay, having a routine before competitive matches—like warming up in aim maps and rehearsing utility—makes a big difference. Ranks don’t move instantly, but steady improvements in your performance eventually reflect in matchmaking results.