Calls are tactical decisions a team makes over the course of a round: where to send players, which side of the map to attack, when to rush and when to play defensively, whether to abort an attack already in motion based on information from teammates. The word comes from the English "call" — "decision," and it entered Russian-language esports slang almost untranslated (in Russian it's used as "колл/коллы" rather than a native word).
Calls are most often associated with the IGL (in-game leader) role — the player who keeps the whole tactical picture of the match in mind and coordinates the rest of the team by voice. But that doesn't mean calling is the job of one person only: at a critical moment in the round, the decision can be voiced by whoever first receives key information, for example spotting an enemy's movement.
Why it's a separate skill
In the debate over what matters more in esports — mechanics or team thinking — calls always end up on the side of the latter. Good calls don't require superhuman reactions or perfect aim: they require the ability to quickly analyze information (how many enemies are left, where they were last spotted, how much time is left in the round) and make a decision that works for the whole team, not just one player.
That's why, in discussions about a player's skill level, calling is often singled out as a separate category alongside aim and movement. A player can be mechanically weaker, but it's their calls that can secure the team a win through well-timed attacks or an unexpected change of plan.
Good and bad calls
Calls are judged after the fact — by the outcome of the round. If a decision led to a win, it's called a strong call; if the team ended up in a bad position, it's called a bad call, even if the logic made sense in the moment. Because of this, calls are one of the most controversial topics in match analysis: fans and analysts often disagree on whether a decision was justified or the team just got lucky.
The ability to quickly produce accurate calls under the pressure of the round's time limit is considered a mark of an experienced tactical player — and this skill is usually what's contrasted with raw mechanical mastery when comparing different playing styles in the professional scene.