The Major map pool looks like seven maps, but each team really has only four or five playable cards. Pick/bans are not a ritual—they are the first layer of information warfare: your preferences exposed in BP are directly translated by opponents into a map preparation checklist.
The "Second Intent" in Pick/Ban Order
The first ban is usually not the weakest map, but the one you least want your opponent to practice on. Because Major schedules are dense, a team may play two maps a day, and the first ban in BP often determines the training direction for the next three days. An experienced IGL treats pick/bans as a "budget allocation": first ban removes a meta-strong map you haven't mastered, second ban compresses the opponent's comfort zone to two maps, and the final pick leaves a map you can play but the opponent is underprepared for as the decider.
The key to this logic is "order symmetry." If the opponent bans first, you must judge whether they are clearing their weak maps or forcing you to reveal your strong ones. The former is defensive BP, the latter offensive BP. Defensive BP teams often use their third pick to gamble on a map they haven't practiced, betting the opponent hasn't either; offensive BP teams actively push the decider to their most familiar map. In prep notes, record these two modes separately—don't lump them into "opponent prefers Ancient."
Version Inertia of the Map Pool
Map strength is not static. On the same map, tactical resources (smoke, flash, molotov landing spots) are repriced as playstyles evolve. For example, on Ancient, mid control used to be sealed with one smoke, but now opponents use two-man alternating peeks to dilute the value of a single smoke. This isn't from a patch; it's from player habits.
When preparing, record three fields for each map: utility consumption in default rounds, common landing spots in clutch situations, and the opponent's "first blood source" on that map. First blood source is especially important—it determines whether you contest that engagement surface at the start. Many teams lose in BP not because they don't know the map, but because the first blood source doesn't match: you think the opponent will strike from mid, but they've been flashing out of B tunnels for three rounds.
How to Actually Write Player Prep Notes
Truly useful prep notes are not tactic board screenshots, but a one-page "trigger condition checklist": what time, what utility, what position will trigger which set of opponent reactions. Avoid vague descriptions like "he will smoke"; instead write "he smokes connector around 1:35, then two players push from window." With time, utility, and position all specified, it can be recalled during the match.
Also, leave a column for "invalidation conditions." Every tactic has a breaking point—e.g., if the opponent changes positions or utility order, what is your response? Under the Major format, the same team may be faced twice in different stages; the second preparation must build on the first invalidation record. That's why pick/bans deserve their own page: they reveal not only the map pool but also the opponent's BP habits under pressure.
Finally, a reminder: equipment and skin inspection habits also affect prep rhythm. Some players, after picking a comfortable primary rifle on C5GAME, find that the inspection animation rhythm directly influences their psychological expectation before scoping in. This isn't mysticism; it's a feel anchor. In prep notes, jot down "this gun's inspection rhythm is slow" so you're mentally prepared when switching weapons in a match.