Premier mode is the main competitive queue in CS2, and it works differently from the classic Competitive mode. Instead of 18 hidden ranks tied to individual maps, Premier uses a single CS Rating number that goes up and down based on match results. Here is what you need to know before you queue.
How to unlock Premier
You need Prime Status and account level 10. Prime Status costs $14.99 and also gives you weekly rewards. Once you hit level 10, Premier becomes available in the play menu.
Placement and rating
You play 10 placement matches to get your first CS Rating. The number starts at 1,000 and can go above 40,000. Each 5,000-point tier has its own color on the leaderboard:
- 0 to 4,999: Grey (Silver to Gold Nova equivalent)
- 5,000 to 9,999: Light Blue (Gold Nova to MGE)
- 10,000 to 14,999: Blue (MG to LE)
- 15,000 to 19,999: Purple (LEM to Supreme)
- 20,000 to 24,999: Pink (Supreme to Global)
- 25,000 to 29,999: Red (Global)
- 30,000+: Gold (Global)
Once you have a rating, your individual performance (kills, deaths, assists) does not affect it. Only the match result matters. You see how many points you will gain or lose before the match starts.
Winning streaks give you a bonus, so you climb faster when you are playing well. Losing streaks compound the loss, so a bad run can hurt more than a single loss. At every 5,000-point mark, you play a promotion match. Win and you move up a tier. Lose and you drop back.
The amount of rating you gain or lose also depends on the ratings of your opponents and teammates. Beating a higher-rated team gives you more points.
Map selection
Premier uses a pick and ban phase. Teams take turns banning maps until two remain, then the first team picks from those two. This is different from Competitive, where you queue for specific maps.
Leaderboards
You can view the Premier leaderboard in-game or on the CS2 website. It shows your rating, wins, win percentage, and where you stand globally or by region. The top 1,000 players in each region appear on the public leaderboard.
Source
[1] CS2 Premier Leaderboard: How Ratings Work - eXputer
[2] How Does the CS2 Premier Rating System Work? - Strafe