A pick is the act of selection itself: a hero in Dota 2, an operator or map in CS2, a character in any other game with draft elements. The word comes from the English "pick" — to choose. When people say "a good pick" or "the team picked the wrong one," they mean a specific choice made during pre-match preparation.
In Dota 2, a pick usually happens within the draft — a procedure where teams take turns picking and banning heroes. What matters here isn't just the choice itself, but also the order: the last pick can cover a team's weak spot or, conversely, counter a strong hero chosen by the opponent. A specific hero is often called a "matchup pick" — meaning it's chosen specifically to counter the opponent's playstyle.
In CS2, the term is used more broadly: a "map pick" is the choice or ban of a map in a series, and a "weapon pick" is the choice of loadout for a round. Players also talk about a "peeking" playstyle (peek) — this is a different meaning, related to looking out from behind cover, and it shouldn't be confused with a pick as a selection.
Who is responsible for picks
In teams, the decision about picks is rarely made by a single player alone, but the final word often belongs to the captain or IGL (in-game leader — the player who makes tactical decisions). This is exactly why such a player leaving the roster is a serious blow: along with them, the team can lose not just mechanical skill, but an understanding of which picks work and why.
Pick style is essentially a team's signature. Some teams prefer aggressive picks with early pressure, while others build their game around picks suited for a prolonged midgame and lategame. A roster change or the loss of a key player almost always means the old pick pool stops working as effectively, and the team has to rediscover winning combinations from scratch.
Analyzing picks is a mandatory part of tournament preparation: analysts and coaches study what opponents chose in past games to predict likely draft moves and prepare counter-picks in advance.