Drafting
Drafting is a mechanic where players take turns picking cards from a shared pool — or from a hand that rotates around the table — to build their own set or strategy. The classic form is "pick one, pass the rest"; the player who reads the table best ends up with a more focused deck.
Why it matters
Drafting forces players to make tradeoffs ("take what I want or take what my neighbor needs?") and creates emergent rivalry. It's a popular alternative to a random deal because every pick is a small decision.
Example
7 Wonders has each player open a hand of 7 cards, keep one, and pass the rest left. After a full round, every player has 7 cards but each one was chosen, not dealt.