Believe it or not, every Zerg from Bronze to DRG make this small but sometimes(more often than enough) make a bad placing of a building which costs them the game, I'm sure you it has happened to you and you overule the most basic mistake with
"Well if I could've reacted to that drop/harassment better"
While in most cases that is true, but in most cases it couldve been more easily prevented by having a conscious mind state way way way early game.
Starcraft like most people forget is a game of time more than it is a game of investment.
Every hex on the map counts
Every second in the game counts.
What this guide will show you is something that you know that is happening but you haven't realized it or remembered.
We will use Metapolis as the most common map that is still played in ladder and tournament games.
What your initial overlord scouts is the most important to your entire game placement of where you will put your buildings.
To many Zergs build tech in the red area and that unacceptable.
You have to be smart when placing down a tech.
You have to ask yourself
"How safe is this"
There is no doubt that most games vs terran you will play against some drops
and its becoming more popular for Protoss to use their Warp Prisms.
Close By Air:+ Show Spoiler +
Cross Position:+ Show Spoiler +
The general idea is to build away from the opponent.
The farther you get the more time you have to either respond to a drop or maybe even negate a drop because the tech is to "deep" in the zerg jungle.
Dont expect to leave a $100 bill hanging out of your back pocket and not be stolen
If you dont want someone stealing your $100 bill you tuck it deep into your wallet.
Same thing goes for putting your buildings.
If someone wants to go for those buildings theyre are going to have to take more time(Just look at the radius's of each of the circles) to get it.
So by simply putting your building just a few hex's away you are buying yourself time to respond to a drop.
Alot of top/low zergs when I ask them why'd they put the building their they say
"Thats where my mouse landed"
We need to take a second and chill.
Before a game have a game plan where your buildings are going to go.
It really shouldnt change game to game since the maps dont change physically everytime you play them(though not reccomended for Pro level plays because then people can figuire out your placements, and snipe them anyway, but thats beyond the fact"
Quick Part 2: Dem Helion
This part is pretty simple and I believe MOST people have caught on.
If you scout reactor helions or heavy helion play(esp heavy helion play
you are going to need to use your resources to make a good choke point wall off.
Spine crawlers, evolution chambers(very good), and macro hatches can serve as amazing quick wall offs vs the helion play.