What does "BO1 / BO3 / BO5" mean in esports?

Best of 1, Best of 3, or Best of 5. The number of maps or games played to determine a match winner. BO3 and BO5 are most common in playoff settings.

What does "LAN" mean in esports?

Local Area Network. A LAN event is an in-person tournament where players compete on-site, as opposed to playing online.

What does "Online" mean in esports?

A match or tournament played remotely over the internet, without players being in the same physical location.

What does "T-side / CT-side" mean in esports?

Terrorist side (attacking, planting the bomb) vs Counter-Terrorist side (defending, defusing). Teams switch sides at halftime.

What does "Eco Round" mean in esports?

A round where a team deliberately saves money by buying little or nothing, preserving funds for a stronger buy the next round.

What does "Force Buy" mean in esports?

Buying weapons despite insufficient funds, often with pistols or SMGs, hoping to win the round and replenish economy.

What does "Agent" mean in esports?

The playable characters in Valorant, each with unique abilities. Categories include Duelists, Controllers, Initiators, and Sentinels.

What does "Duelist" mean in esports?

Agent role focused on taking individual gunfights and creating space. Examples: Jett, Reyna, Neon.

What does "Controller" mean in esports?

Agent role focused on controlling areas with smokes and walls. Examples: Omen, Viper, Astra.

What does "Gank" mean in esports?

When the jungler (or another player) roams to a lane to assist the laner in getting a kill or forcing the opponent away.

What does "CS / Creep Score" mean in esports?

The number of minions a player has killed. A key metric of laning efficiency and a major source of gold income.

What does "Baron Nashor" mean in esports?

The most powerful neutral objective on Summoner's Rift. Defeating it grants the empowered minion buff. Often called "Baron" or "Nashor".

What does "Carry (Position 1)" mean in esports?

The hard carry hero who farms in the safe lane early and becomes the most powerful hero late game. Needs maximum farm and protection.

What does "Mid (Position 2)" mean in esports?

The solo mid laner, responsible for getting experience quickly and controlling the center of the map.

What does "Offlaner (Position 3)" mean in esports?

The tough lane hero who absorbs pressure and initiates teamfights. Typically plays in the offlane against double or trilane.

What does "Operator" mean in esports?

A playable character with a unique gadget. Attackers and Defenders each have distinct operator pools with different roles.

What does "Anchor" mean in esports?

A Defender who stays inside or near the objective site to hold the bomb or hostage until the end of the round.

What does "Roam" mean in esports?

A Defender who moves aggressively around the map to gather information, delay attackers, or get flanks.

What does "Tank" mean in esports?

A frontline hero that absorbs damage and creates space for the team. Examples: Reinhardt, D.Va, Orisa.

What does "DPS (Damage)" mean in esports?

Heroes focused on dealing damage and eliminating enemies. Examples: Tracer, Cassidy, Widowmaker.

Esports Glossary

111 terms

Every term, abbreviation, and piece of jargon used in competitive esports — explained simply. Covers CS2, Valorant, League of Legends, Dota 2, Rainbow Six Siege and Overwatch 2.

General Esports

20 terms

BO1 / BO3 / BO5#: Best of 1, Best of 3, or Best of 5. The number of maps or games played to determine a match winner. BO3 and BO5 are most common in playoff settings.
LAN#: Local Area Network. A LAN event is an in-person tournament where players compete on-site, as opposed to playing online.
Online#: A match or tournament played remotely over the internet, without players being in the same physical location.
Group Stage#: The opening phase of a tournament where teams are split into groups and play a round-robin or Swiss format to qualify for the bracket.
Bracket#: The elimination stage of a tournament. Can be single elimination (one loss = out) or double elimination (two losses = out).
Round Robin#: A format where every team plays every other team in the group. Points are accumulated and top teams advance.
Double Elimination#: A bracket format with an upper and lower bracket. Teams move to the lower bracket on their first loss and are eliminated on their second.
Swiss Format#: Teams with the same record face each other each round. Common in CS2 and LoL group stages. Efficient for large participant pools.
Seeding#: How teams are ranked/placed into brackets or groups, usually based on prior results or regional qualification.
Grand Final#: The final match of a tournament that determines the champion.
Roster#: The lineup of players on a team, including any substitutes or coaches.
IGL#: In-Game Leader. The player responsible for calling strategies and making real-time tactical decisions during a match.
Coach#: A team advisor who prepares strategies, reviews VODs, and manages player development. Can give limited in-game calls in some games.
Org#: Short for organization. The esports company or brand that fields and manages a competitive team (e.g. FaZe Clan, NaVi, T1).
Transfer Window#: A defined period during which teams can sign, release, or trade players. Common in LoL and Valorant.
Relegation#: The process of a lower-ranked team being dropped from a top league and replaced by a promoted challenger team.
MVP#: Most Valuable Player. An award given to the standout player of a match or tournament.
VOD#: Video on Demand. A recorded replay of a match, used by teams for review and by fans for catching up on missed games.
Meta#: Short for metagame. The dominant strategies, team compositions, or hero/agent picks that are most effective in the current patch.
Patch#: A game update that changes balance, fixes bugs, or adds content. Patches often shift the competitive meta significantly.

CS2 (Counter-Strike 2)

20 terms

T-side / CT-side#: Terrorist side (attacking, planting the bomb) vs Counter-Terrorist side (defending, defusing). Teams switch sides at halftime.
Eco Round#: A round where a team deliberately saves money by buying little or nothing, preserving funds for a stronger buy the next round.
Force Buy#: Buying weapons despite insufficient funds, often with pistols or SMGs, hoping to win the round and replenish economy.
Full Buy#: A round where a team purchases rifles (AK-47s, M4s), full armor, and utility (grenades). The standard competitive buy.
Map Pool#: The active set of maps used in competitive play. Both teams veto maps before a match to determine which maps are played.
Entry Fragger#: The player who enters a bombsite first, taking the initial gunfight to create space for teammates.
AWP#: The Arctic Warfare Police — a high-damage, one-shot sniper rifle. The most expensive and impactful weapon in CS2.
Smoke#: A smoke grenade that blocks vision. Critical for controlling angles, executing bomb sites, and cutting off rotations.
Flash#: A flashbang grenade that temporarily blinds players. Used to peek corners or push into contested areas.
Molotov / Incendiary#: Fire grenades that deal area damage and block movement. Used to clear corners or stop rushes.
Clutch#: A round won by a single player who eliminates multiple opponents after the rest of their team has been eliminated.
Lurk#: A player who takes a separate, usually slower route to catch rotators off guard or create pressure from behind.
Retake#: When the CT side attacks a bombsite after the Terrorists have planted the bomb, trying to defuse before it explodes.
Rating (HLTV)#: A statistical metric from HLTV.org that measures overall player performance, combining K/D, impact, and opening duels.
Opening Kill#: The first kill of a round, which gives a significant statistical and tactical advantage.
Pistol Round#: The first round of each half, where all players start with pistols only and limited money.
Knife Round#: An optional knife-only round to determine side selection. The winning team chooses whether to start on T or CT side.
Anti-eco#: A defensive play against an enemy eco round, prioritizing saving rifles rather than taking risky gunfights.
Spray Transfer#: Transferring your spray from one enemy to another in quick succession, eliminating multiple players.
Pre-aim#: Aiming at an expected enemy position before actually seeing the opponent, gaining a reaction time advantage.

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Valorant

18 terms

Agent#: The playable characters in Valorant, each with unique abilities. Categories include Duelists, Controllers, Initiators, and Sentinels.
Duelist#: Agent role focused on taking individual gunfights and creating space. Examples: Jett, Reyna, Neon.
Controller#: Agent role focused on controlling areas with smokes and walls. Examples: Omen, Viper, Astra.
Initiator#: Agent role that supports entry by gathering information or creating advantages. Examples: Sova, Breach, KAY/O.
Sentinel#: Agent role focused on defense and locking down areas. Examples: Killjoy, Sage, Cypher.
Spike#: The bomb in Valorant. Attackers must plant it at a bomb site; Defenders must defuse it or eliminate all Attackers.
Ultimate (Ult)#: Each agent's most powerful ability, charged by collecting orbs, getting kills, or dying.
Operator#: The premium sniper rifle in Valorant, equivalent to the AWP in CS. Capable of one-shot kills and pivotal in professional play.
Vandal / Phantom#: The two primary rifles in Valorant. The Vandal has higher wall penetration; the Phantom is more forgiving at close range with a silencer.
ACS#: Average Combat Score. A stat measuring a player's round-by-round combat performance, used as a key metric on vlr.gg.
First Blood#: The first kill of a round. Teams that consistently win first blood win a disproportionate share of rounds.
VCT#: Valorant Champions Tour. The official Riot-operated competitive circuit, split into Americas, EMEA, and Pacific regions.
Masters#: Mid-season international VCT events where the best teams from each region compete.
Champions#: The annual VCT world championship, the most prestigious Valorant tournament of the year.
Retake#: Recapturing a bomb site from Attackers after they've planted the Spike, similar to the CS2 concept.
Default#: A slow, methodical setup where the team gathers information before committing to a site.
On-site Util#: Utility (abilities) used on a bomb site during an execute to clear out Defenders.
Eco#: A round where a team saves credits, buying minimal equipment to preserve funds for future full buys.

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League of Legends

18 terms

Gank#: When the jungler (or another player) roams to a lane to assist the laner in getting a kill or forcing the opponent away.
CS / Creep Score#: The number of minions a player has killed. A key metric of laning efficiency and a major source of gold income.
Baron Nashor#: The most powerful neutral objective on Summoner's Rift. Defeating it grants the empowered minion buff. Often called "Baron" or "Nashor".
Dragon#: A neutral objective that grants stacking elemental buffs. Soul point is reached after 4 dragon kills of the same type.
Nexus#: The main structure each team must destroy to win the game, located in each team's base.
Inhibitor#: A structure in the base; destroying it enables super minions for that lane and is a major step toward victory.
Carry#: A player or role whose job is to deal damage and "carry" the team to victory, typically the ADC or mid laner.
ADC#: Attack Damage Carry. A marksman champion in the bot lane who scales with items to become the primary ranged damage dealer.
Support#: A champion who protects, heals, or enables their ADC in the bot lane. Also responsible for warding the map.
Jungle#: A position that controls the area between lanes, farming neutral monsters and creating advantages through ganks.
Peel#: When teammates use their abilities to protect a carry, usually by knocking, stunning, or slowing incoming threats.
Engage#: Initiating a fight by moving aggressively toward the enemy, usually with a crowd-control ability.
CC / Crowd Control#: Abilities that disable or reduce the effectiveness of enemy champions: stuns, slows, silences, roots.
Ward / Vision Control#: Placing wards to reveal enemy positions on the map. Controlling vision is a key skill gap between average and pro play.
Split Push#: A strategy where one player pushes a side lane alone while teammates pressure objectives elsewhere.
Teamfight#: A large group fight involving most or all players from both teams, usually around objectives.
LEC / LCS / LCK / LPL#: The four major League of Legends regional leagues: Europe (LEC), North America (LCS), Korea (LCK), and China (LPL).
Worlds#: The League of Legends World Championship. Held annually, it is the most prestigious tournament in the game.

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Dota 2

15 terms

Carry (Position 1)#: The hard carry hero who farms in the safe lane early and becomes the most powerful hero late game. Needs maximum farm and protection.
Mid (Position 2)#: The solo mid laner, responsible for getting experience quickly and controlling the center of the map.
Offlaner (Position 3)#: The tough lane hero who absorbs pressure and initiates teamfights. Typically plays in the offlane against double or trilane.
Support (Position 4 & 5)#: Support heroes who sacrifice farm to protect carries, stack camps, and ward the map.
Roshan#: The most powerful creep on the map. Killing Roshan drops the Aegis of Immortality (one free respawn) and Cheese in later kills.
Aegis#: An item dropped by Roshan that grants one free respawn on the spot where you die, refreshing after 5 minutes.
Buyback#: Paying gold to immediately respawn after dying, essential for defending in late-game scenarios.
BKB (Black King Bar)#: A core item that grants magic immunity for a duration. Critical for carries to survive teamfights.
TI (The International)#: The annual Dota 2 World Championship, historically featuring the largest prize pools in esports history.
DPC#: Dota Pro Circuit. Valve's official competitive season with regional leagues that determine TI qualification points.
Lane Creeps / CS#: Killing lane creeps is the primary source of gold for carry heroes. CS efficiency determines how quickly a carry scales.
Smoke#: A consumable item that makes the team invisible on the minimap when grouped. Used to initiate fights or avoid detection.
Courier#: A unit that delivers items from the shop to heroes. Every player receives one at the start of the game.
Ancient#: The primary structure each team must destroy to win the game, located deep in each team's base.
Outpost#: Capturable objectives on the map that grant vision and XP bonuses. Contested throughout the game.

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Rainbow Six Siege

10 terms

Operator#: A playable character with a unique gadget. Attackers and Defenders each have distinct operator pools with different roles.
Anchor#: A Defender who stays inside or near the objective site to hold the bomb or hostage until the end of the round.
Roam#: A Defender who moves aggressively around the map to gather information, delay attackers, or get flanks.
Breach#: An Attacker who focuses on destroying walls, floors, or ceilings to open new lines of sight into the objective.
Site#: The bomb site or objective that Attackers must capture or plant on, and Defenders must hold.
Drone#: A small remote-controlled camera used by Attackers at the start of a round to locate Defenders and the objective.
Soft Wall#: A destructible wall that can be shot or melee attacked. Contrasted with reinforced walls that require breaching gadgets.
Hard Breach#: Using a gadget (like Thermite or Hibana charges) to break through reinforced walls.
Pro League (R6SL)#: The Rainbow Six Siege esports league, featuring regional competitions across NA, EU, LATAM, and APAC.
Six Major / Six Invitational#: The two flagship international Siege tournaments per year. The Six Invitational is the world championship.

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Overwatch 2

10 terms

Tank#: A frontline hero that absorbs damage and creates space for the team. Examples: Reinhardt, D.Va, Orisa.
DPS (Damage)#: Heroes focused on dealing damage and eliminating enemies. Examples: Tracer, Cassidy, Widowmaker.
Support#: Heroes who heal allies and provide utility. Examples: Ana, Mercy, Lucio, Kiriko.
Ultimate (Ult)#: Each hero's most powerful ability, charged through dealing or receiving damage. Ult economy is critical at the pro level.
Ult Economy#: Managing when to use and save ultimates. Teams often wait to stack multiple ultimates before committing to a fight.
Team Fight#: A coordinated engagement where both teams commit resources and ultimates to win a key objective window.
OWL#: Overwatch League. The official Activision Blizzard city-franchise league for professional Overwatch competition.
Payload#: A map type where one team escorts an object to a destination while the other team defends.
Control / KOTH#: King of the Hill maps where teams fight over a central point. First to win two rounds takes the map.
Anti-heal#: Abilities that reduce or stop enemy healing, such as Ana's Biotic Grenade. Critical for breaking through strong support play.

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