Chain
Two Counter-Strike pros, a start and a target. Get from one to the other by naming teammates, in as few names as possible.
How to play Chain
Every day brings four chains, one per level, the same for everyone. You start on one pro and have to reach the other. At each step, name a player who was a teammate of the pro the chain is on: if they played together, the chain moves on to him. The chain closes as soon as you name a teammate of the target.
Two pros count as teammates when they played at least three official matches together in the same lineup. A pro on the bench does not count, and neither does a national side or a showmatch mix. Each level asks for more names, from one on Easy to four on Impossible, across more clubs. On Easy and Medium the page shows the careers of the pro the chain is on and of the target on one line of years, so you can see where they cross; Hard shows only the first, and Impossible none.
Every name counts as a move, right or wrong. Reach the target in as few moves as possible to score the most: six points at par, one less for each extra name, times the level. When the chain is over, a shortest chain is shown.
Tips
- Start from the target: who played with him? Then work your way back to the pro the chain is on.
- Big clubs with many lineups make good bridges between eras.
- A refused name costs a move, so check the years before you type.
- Every chain can be done through well-known pros: no need to dig up an unknown.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as a teammate?
Two pros who played at least three official matches together in the same lineup. Being on the same roster while one of them sat on the bench does not count, and neither do national teams or showmatch mixes.
Is there a new chain every day?
Yes. Four new chains start at midnight UTC, one per level, the same for every player.
How is the score worked out?
Six points if you reach the target in the fewest moves possible, one less for each extra name, never under one, times the level: 1 on Easy, 2 on Medium, 3 on Hard and 5 on Impossible.
What if I name someone who was not a teammate?
The name is refused and counts as a move, and the chain stays on the same pro. You have the par plus five moves in all.
Can I keep playing after the daily?
Yes. Unlimited deals as many new chains as you like at the same level. They count on the Chain board, not in the ranking of the day.
Can I play Chain with friends?
Yes. In Multiplayer, open a room set to Chain and send the code: everyone gets the same two pros at the room's level, and whoever links them in the fewest names wins the round, the fastest breaking a tie. Chain also comes up in mixed rooms and in Find a match.
All the free CS2 games and pages
- Guess the Player — A daily Counter-Strike 2 wordle: name the mystery pro from clues that light up green as you get closer.
- Blur — A pixelated photo of a Counter-Strike 2 pro sharpens with every wrong guess. Name them before the picture gives it away.
- Higher or Lower — Two Counter-Strike 2 pros, one hidden stat. Call higher or lower and build the longest streak you can.
- Bingo — A grid of Counter-Strike categories — countries, teams, trophies, roles. Fill each cell with a real pro, and no player twice.
- Team Path — Follow a Counter-Strike pro’s career through the teams they played for, and work out who it is.
- Major Draft — Draft five Counter-Strike 2 pros by role, then coach them live through a full Major — Swiss stage, playoffs, round by round.
- Pro Career — Create a Counter-Strike 2 pro at 16, sign with a real club, and play out a full career of seasons, transfers and choices.
- CS2 Wordle — The Wordle you know, played on the Counter-Strike dictionary: guess the daily word letter by letter, six tries.
- Ace — A ranked list of Counter-Strike pros for each difficulty, every day. Name everyone on it and it’s an ace.
- Fan Favourites — Vote for the Counter-Strike 2 pros you actually like — no account, no sign-up. The ranking below is the crowd's, updated the moment you click.
- CS2 Transfers — Every roster move HLTV has published, dated to the day, back to March 2023.
- Pro Manager — Run a real Counter-Strike 2 club on the real circuit — sign pros and retired legends, call the veto and every round, and climb Valve's ranking season after season.
- Fantasy Club — Open free CS2 card packs: a booster of five pro player cards every 2 hours, the first one without an account. Pull the OGs, every Major champion and the eras across seven rarities, fill a binder, and field five each week on the real matches.
- Multiplayer rooms — Press Find a match for a 1v1 against another player, or create a private room, send the code, and race your friends through the same rounds of Guess, Blur, Team Path, Higher-Lower, Wordle, Bingo, Ace, Chain or Major Draft — or pick Mixed and get a different game every round.
- CS2 tier lists — Rank Counter-Strike players, coaches, clubs or maps the way you see them, send the board to whoever you want with one link, and compare it with where everyone else put them.
- Crossfire — A 3×3 grid of Counter-Strike categories every day. Name a pro who fits both the row and the column of each square, with nine guesses for the whole grid.