A pistol round is the opening round of a CS2 match, as well as the first round of the second half of the game, after the sides are switched. In both cases players have the same small amount of money: it is enough to buy a better pistol than the default one, some armor, and a couple of grenades, but not a full rifle. That is where the name comes from: the pistol becomes the main weapon, and everything is decided within the limits of weak weaponry.
In conversation, players and viewers more often say "pistolka" or simply "pistol". The phrase "won the pistolka" means that a team won such a round, and "lost the pistolka" means they lost it.
Why this round is special
The economy in CS2 is built on the fact that the money in the next round depends on the result of the previous one. A team that wins the pistol round receives a win bonus and can afford a stronger buy in the second round. The losing team receives less and is often forced to play an [eco round](/eco-round), a round in which money is saved and almost nothing is bought. As a result, a win in the first round often turns into a streak of consecutive round wins, while a loss puts the team in a difficult position for several rounds ahead. For more on how money works in the game, see the article on the [economy](/economy).
How the pistol round is played
Since everyone's weapons are weak, not only shooting but also utility plays a huge role: grenades that help take space, blind, or smoke off the opponent. Teams prepare a plan in advance: which site to go to, who throws the grenades, where to wait for the opponent. Both a fast attack and a slow, information-based game are quite common here, depending on the team's plan.
The choice of purchase also becomes tactics. Players can invest money in armor to withstand more damage, or in extra grenades to put more pressure on the opponent. Each option has its price: what is spent on armor will not go toward utility.
Another feature: mistakes in this round cost more than usual. One unsuccessful trade or an inaccurate grenade throw can decide the outcome, and with it the economy of the next several rounds.
Where the term comes from
The name comes from the very logic of the game: in this round everyone has to make do with pistols. In everyday speech, both such rounds in a match are called pistol rounds, the first at the start of the game and the first after the side switch, so there are two of them during a match.
For viewers, pistol rounds are interesting because it is less obvious who is stronger here: weak weapons level the odds, and good preparation and calm decisions under pressure matter more than mechanical accuracy.