• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 20:54
CEST 02:54
KST 09:54
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
[ASL21] Ro8 Preview Pt1: Inheritors14[ASL21] Ro16 Preview Pt2: All Star10Team Liquid Map Contest #22 - The Finalists19[ASL21] Ro16 Preview Pt1: Fresh Flow9[ASL21] Ro24 Preview Pt2: News Flash10
Community News
2026 GSL Season 1 Qualifiers24Maestros of the Game 2 announced92026 GSL Tour plans announced15Weekly Cups (April 6-12): herO doubles, "Villains" prevail1MaNa leaves Team Liquid25
StarCraft 2
General
Team Liquid Map Contest #22 - The Finalists MaNa leaves Team Liquid Maestros of the Game 2 announced 2026 GSL Tour plans announced Blizzard Classic Cup @ BlizzCon 2026 - $100k prize pool
Tourneys
2026 GSL Season 1 Qualifiers Sparkling Tuna Cup - Weekly Open Tournament INu's Battles#14 <BO.9 2Matches> GSL CK: More events planned pending crowdfunding RSL Revival: Season 5 - Qualifiers and Main Event
Strategy
Custom Maps
[D]RTS in all its shapes and glory <3 [A] Nemrods 1/4 players [M] (2) Frigid Storage
External Content
The PondCast: SC2 News & Results Mutation # 523 Firewall Mutation # 522 Flip My Base Mutation # 521 Memorable Boss
Brood War
General
ASL21 General Discussion [ASL21] Ro8 Preview Pt1: Inheritors BGH Auto Balance -> http://bghmmr.eu/ FlaSh: This Will Be My Final ASL【ASL S21 Ro.16】 Leta's ASL S21 Ro.16 review
Tourneys
[ASL21] Ro8 Day 1 [Megathread] Daily Proleagues [ASL21] Ro16 Group D Escore Tournament StarCraft Season 2
Strategy
Fighting Spirit mining rates Simple Questions, Simple Answers What's the deal with APM & what's its true value Any training maps people recommend?
Other Games
General Games
Dawn of War IV Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread Diablo IV Nintendo Switch Thread Total Annihilation Server - TAForever
Dota 2
The Story of Wings Gaming
League of Legends
G2 just beat GenG in First stand
Heroes of the Storm
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Deck construction bug Heroes of StarCraft mini-set
TL Mafia
Vanilla Mini Mafia Mafia Game Mode Feedback/Ideas TL Mafia Community Thread Five o'clock TL Mafia
Community
General
US Politics Mega-thread Russo-Ukrainian War Thread 3D technology/software discussion European Politico-economics QA Mega-thread Canadian Politics Mega-thread
Fan Clubs
The IdrA Fan Club
Media & Entertainment
Anime Discussion Thread [Manga] One Piece [Req][Books] Good Fantasy/SciFi books Movie Discussion!
Sports
2024 - 2026 Football Thread Formula 1 Discussion McBoner: A hockey love story
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
streaming software Strange computer issues (software) [G] How to Block Livestream Ads
TL Community
The Automated Ban List
Blogs
Sexual Health Of Gamers
TrAiDoS
lurker extra damage testi…
StaticNine
Broowar part 2
qwaykee
Funny Nicknames
LUCKY_NOOB
Iranian anarchists: organize…
XenOsky
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 2137 users

8 rax = cheese?

Forum Index > Brood War Strategy
Post a Reply
1 2 3 4 5 8 9 10 Next All
DJONES
Profile Blog Joined September 2009
United States218 Posts
December 19 2009 04:06 GMT
#1
My standard opener for TvZ is an 8 rax into mech.

After using it on many players, and having lots of bm thrown my way for "fucking cheese", I have to ask:

Why is 8 rax considered cheese?

It doesn't really set you behind very far in terms of economy, but it's upside is great.

2-3 marines, and 1-2 scvs are at his base before the spawning pool finishes.

The zerg is then forced to make a choice.

They either have to pull almost all of their drones, and lose 3-4 of them.

or

Stall and make around 14-16 zerglings to surround the bunker.

Either way, the bunker and early rax have already paid for themselves, in addition to allowing you to dictate the pace of the game early on.

Why is this not considered a standard opener for TvZ?
facebook.com/DJONESisagod
geegee1
Profile Blog Joined April 2009
United States618 Posts
December 19 2009 04:12 GMT
#2
i would Consider something like 8 rax a standard opening now because of the fact that its kinda saying 9 pool is a cheese in a way. you are applying pressure but not killing the zerg if he hatch. the same for zerg if he 9 pool and attacks you. he is also applying that pressure and there is a minimal chance for either build to win.
pew pew
da_head
Profile Blog Joined November 2008
Canada3350 Posts
December 19 2009 04:13 GMT
#3
what's stopping him from sending those 14-16 lings to your base?
When they see MC Probe, all the ladies disrobe.
LaughingTulkas
Profile Joined March 2008
United States1107 Posts
December 19 2009 04:16 GMT
#4
Even if it was "cheese" who cares? The point of the game is to win. There is no other criteria for success (perhaps "fun" but it's more fun if you win right?).

Otoh, unless it's an all-in, I wouldn't call it cheese. Cheese is generally something that if countered, you're screwed. In this case you are just applying early pressure to disrupt and then going for a solid follow up. Not cheese, IMO. Oh, and I'm a zerg player too, so I'm trying not to speak with bias.
"I love noobies, they're so happy." -Chill
Nytefish
Profile Blog Joined December 2007
United Kingdom4282 Posts
December 19 2009 04:18 GMT
#5
Well I guess it's like when a protoss 1 gate proxies or gas steals or both.
If you're on the receiving end you'll want to call it cheese.
No I'm never serious.
Jonoman92
Profile Blog Joined September 2006
United States9109 Posts
December 19 2009 04:24 GMT
#6
8 rax isn't cheese, and even if it was, people who complain about cheese are just stupid noobs.
Jonoman92
Profile Blog Joined September 2006
United States9109 Posts
December 19 2009 04:26 GMT
#7
No build is truly cheese in fact really. I just watched a rep from TL's rep section where Oystein goes 6 pool and the game ends up being a close 40+ minute match.

The reason why I think it's silly to call 8 rax cheese is because it's not allin at all really.
StylishVODs
Profile Joined December 2005
Sweden5331 Posts
December 19 2009 04:28 GMT
#8
No its not cheese, but you can make it a cheese by pulling all of your scvs without enough info!
According to Reach, he is the fastest learner he has ever seen. He start bw only like 2/3 years ago. Infact, his bw history knowledge is so limited, he didn't even know what the map Guillotine was.
phaleos
Profile Joined December 2009
Australia105 Posts
December 19 2009 04:31 GMT
#9
I don't think this is cheese. 8BBS is, but this is more of just utilizing every building to their max efficiency. Obviously, mech doesn't require marines, so what's the point of having that barrack sitting in your base?
The very essential of quoting... is not having one.
meeple
Profile Blog Joined April 2009
Canada10211 Posts
December 19 2009 04:33 GMT
#10
Its hard to say what cheese really is... as Chill said in as he closed a thread in the recent past. I wouldn't say its cheese until you make it an all-in like pulling scvs like Stylish said.
AzureEye
Profile Blog Joined December 2008
United States1360 Posts
December 19 2009 04:41 GMT
#11
Its hard to define cheese.

But the fact that Terran can open up 8 rax and fail the rush and still come out ahead makes some Zerg player mad at the imbalance. You can easily transition to mech and lift off the rax so you don't even lose your building lol. Just the fact that its not risky at all and its great non-standard opening, used to make me more pissed off when I used to play Zerg
Terrans who whine: http://www.teamliquid.net/blogs/viewblog.php?topic_id=107788
2minutevictory
Profile Joined December 2009
United States89 Posts
December 19 2009 05:01 GMT
#12
it's cheese if it works
lazz
Profile Blog Joined January 2009
Australia3119 Posts
December 19 2009 05:02 GMT
#13
8 rax isnt cheese.

bbs or proxy rax is cheese
Floophead_III
Profile Joined September 2009
United States1832 Posts
December 19 2009 05:06 GMT
#14
I'm going to have to say that if proxy'd it's cheese because if they pool first you lose the game hands down. If you do 8 rax in base it's not really cheese. I also feel that if you do it on a 4 player map it's fairly cheesy since you need to scout super early to make it guaranteed effective. It has happened to me as zerg on python and honestly I do feel that it is cheese there since if they pool first and you're streaming rines and have 2 scvs out you are screwed.
Half man, half bear, half pig.
3clipse
Profile Blog Joined September 2008
Canada2555 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-12-19 05:29:33
December 19 2009 05:29 GMT
#15
Who cares if it's cheese? Pointless classification. Everyone sets a different bar for the level of early aggression considered "standard", and they're all arbitrary and absurdly stupid in a game of strategy where the norm is always changing to defy what is expected.
Mastermind
Profile Blog Joined April 2008
Canada7096 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-12-19 05:29:36
December 19 2009 05:29 GMT
#16
On December 19 2009 14:02 lazz wrote:
8 rax isnt cheese.

bbs or proxy rax is cheese

Ya, I gotta agree with this.

When someone criticizes you for winning a certain way, just ignore them and laugh to yourself because your opponent is a whinny little bitch.
DefMatrixUltra
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
Canada1992 Posts
December 19 2009 05:33 GMT
#17
It wins the game or it doesn't. There is no cheese.

Some builds are less stable than others, and this will contribute to losses. Avoiding losses is a good idea, so playing stable builds is a good idea.
789
Profile Joined October 2009
United States959 Posts
December 19 2009 05:38 GMT
#18
I concur with pretty much everyone here. 8 Rax by itself isn't cheese. It's a more aggressive opening then your standard 10 rax, doesn't make it cheese. Funny thing is they yell at terrans for turtling, and then when they do an aggressive opening its cheese. You can make an 8 rax into cheese tho ... smthn like bbs with massive scv pulling I'd consider cheese. I'm not sure I would even consider a standard 8 rax bunker rush with an scv or 2 cheese anymore. How else is terran supposed to punish the other races for 12 pool/12 nexus.
Member of Hyuk Hyuk Hyuk Cafe! He's the next Jaedong, baby!
hyst.eric.al
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
United States2332 Posts
December 19 2009 05:55 GMT
#19
it doesnt really matter; and it isn't cheese. your opponent is just angry he/she(yeah right) lost.

its a strong counter to zerg standard 12hatch vs T, so it would be stupid NOT to go it if you are good at it.
Leta , BeSt, Calm fan forever! 김정우, I am sorry I ever lost faith in you.
NotJack
Profile Joined December 2009
United States737 Posts
December 19 2009 06:32 GMT
#20
8 rax makes zerg mad because of how much it isn't cheese; and by that I mean if it's countered it's not a big deal.

I'm fine with it, but that's probably the main reason.
1 2 3 4 5 8 9 10 Next All
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
Replay Cast
00:00
PiGosaur Cup #68
CranKy Ducklings97
Liquipedia
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
SpeCial 185
ProTech126
CosmosSc2 35
StarCraft: Brood War
GuemChi 5749
Artosis 674
PiGStarcraft410
NaDa 26
Terrorterran 1
Dota 2
monkeys_forever461
NeuroSwarm1
Super Smash Bros
AZ_Axe189
Mew2King79
Heroes of the Storm
Khaldor134
Other Games
summit1g10086
C9.Mang0444
JimRising 419
Maynarde102
minikerr2
Organizations
Other Games
gamesdonequick923
BasetradeTV198
Dota 2
PGL Dota 2 - Main Stream168
StarCraft 2
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
[ Show 16 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• Hupsaiya 76
• davetesta28
• Berry_CruncH20
• CranKy Ducklings SOOP3
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• intothetv
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• LaughNgamezSOOP
• Migwel
• sooper7s
StarCraft: Brood War
• BSLYoutube
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
Dota 2
• masondota21610
Other Games
• Scarra2825
Upcoming Events
Replay Cast
8h 6m
Afreeca Starleague
9h 6m
Leta vs YSC
GSL
1d 8h
Rogue vs Percival
Zoun vs Solar
Replay Cast
1d 23h
GSL
2 days
Cure vs TriGGeR
ByuN vs Bunny
The PondCast
2 days
KCM Race Survival
2 days
Replay Cast
2 days
Replay Cast
3 days
Escore
3 days
[ Show More ]
OSC
3 days
Replay Cast
3 days
Replay Cast
4 days
IPSL
4 days
Ret vs Art_Of_Turtle
Radley vs TBD
BSL
4 days
Replay Cast
4 days
uThermal 2v2 Circuit
5 days
BSL
5 days
IPSL
5 days
eOnzErG vs TBD
G5 vs Nesh
Replay Cast
6 days
Wardi Open
6 days
Afreeca Starleague
6 days
Jaedong vs Light
Monday Night Weeklies
6 days
Replay Cast
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

Escore Tournament S2: W4
WardiTV TLMC #16
Nations Cup 2026

Ongoing

BSL Season 22
ASL Season 21
CSL 2026 SPRING (S20)
IPSL Spring 2026
KCM Race Survival 2026 Season 2
StarCraft2 Community Team League 2026 Spring
IEM Rio 2026
PGL Bucharest 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 1
BLAST Open Spring 2026
ESL Pro League S23 Finals
ESL Pro League S23 Stage 1&2
PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026

Upcoming

Escore Tournament S2: W5
KK 2v2 League Season 1
Acropolis #4
BSL 22 Non-Korean Championship
CSLAN 4
Kung Fu Cup 2026 Grand Finals
HSC XXIX
uThermal 2v2 2026 Main Event
Maestros of the Game 2
2026 GSL S2
RSL Revival: Season 5
2026 GSL S1
XSE Pro League 2026
IEM Cologne Major 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 2
CS Asia Championships 2026
IEM Atlanta 2026
Asian Champions League 2026
PGL Astana 2026
BLAST Rivals Spring 2026
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2026 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.