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IMO you are terribly underrating it. Most of the maps we play are more macro oriented to begin with and yes, on those maps, it is bad. But on any map that is more micro/strategy or even a very netural map (like LT), 1 hatch builds are perfectly viable, and particularly on smaller maps, its viable as more than just a quick cheese.
Don't underestimate the power of the 9 pool.
I must also point out that while you act like non-progamer level players can't pull it off, I'd argue that many modern Terrans are equally bad at defending against it since it is a highly uncommon strategy.
Why do I advocate it so heavily? It's a good build to have in your arsenal, especially for when you're confronted with maps that standard style ZvT has trouble fitting on. When tfeign hyped up Chojja so heavily, I firmly dismissed all his arguments that Chojja was the best ZvT player in the world (already at that time Savior had truly pulled ahead of the pack), but I must point out the strength Chojja brought to the table that earned him 2nd place in an OSL: he is a macro player who is perfectly comfortable switching to low eco (including 1 base) play. That well-roundedness is important to have, and while Chojja lacks the cohesion of style that Savior and July demonstrate, he has the advantage of more than one bag of tricks to draw from and use effectively (and I'd argue that he's extremely well known for that; he's a macro player known for his 1 base Zerg and 9 pooling abilities). Even if you never play on maps like Peaks and Cultivation Period where the normal kinds of 12 hatch or similar builds are not very viable, having the well-roundedness of being comfortable with poor Zerg in your arsenal provides you with a distinctive bag of tricks that can come in handy even on macro based maps. Is it any wonder why Chojja dominated on Rush Hour, where the exact same terrain features that would normally benefit a Terran would be thrown right back at them by Chojja's superior use of tactics that, I argue, benefit greatly from his experience with low eco Zerg? He is, after all, known as the king of 1 base Zerg, yet the map that stood out the most to me from his recent hot streak as being "his map" was Rush Hour.
That is why I argue it so vehemently. It's a great trick to have that IS viable, and even if it's not up your alley, familiarizing yourself with it comes with added advantages that would help your gameplay regardless.
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Here's one of me going 9pool speedlings -> 1 hatch lurk and winning zvp against 2 gate toss i played today on iccup and saw this thread so i figured i'd post it.
http://www.battlereports.com/viewreplays.php?replaynum=32530
I wouldn't say its a bad build, its just more situationally dependent. Its better vs some builds than 2 base, and can be more effective than 2 base, but 2 base is moderately viable against almost all openings.
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Calgary26003 Posts
Mort it's viable. It just isn't as good as the alternatives. It's like playing a sport where you can use equipment from 1924 or modern equipment. Using the old stuff is viable, but that doesn't mean it's not bad.
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Of course you will lose more than you win with it. Otherwise everyone would do it. But as Mort says, it's good to have in your arsenal. Especially in series of games it can work well if your opponent know that you MIGHT do a 1base build instead of classic 12hatch 11pool. I would say that is it's greatest asset, psychology. Also, it catches many player off guard since they are not used to face it at all..
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you can 1 hatch lurker or if you know the terran is gonna 1 rax cc on longinus, 9 pool to 1 hatch muta.
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Mortality, I think that had more to do with Chojja's defiler build than 1 hatch play.
If you remember, it was a lot of zergalingaglings and hydraliskalisk and defilers that made Chojja RH gosu.
1 base does sorta suck. I guess it can be surprising early game with a big # of lings or something but... why not just get the 2nd hatch at the nat or just fuckn 5 pool if you are gonna seriously go 1 hatch lair. The longer the all in build takes, the easier it is to generally read and stop. Still, it's nowhere as useless as Yubee made it sound, that was ignorance.
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I recall Chojja's ability to use the terrain, and particularly the bridges, effectively in both ZvT and ZvP as being an integral part of his success on that map.
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isn't one base zvt the only way to play 3-12 positions on LT? anyone knows something different cuz i have trouble in those positions.
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If Zerg is at 3, then 2 hatching is perfectly viable as well. You'll just have to be extra careful if he goes for a rush. Mainly though, unless he goes 8 rax (which is pure luck since he shouldn't know that you are at 3 by the time he commits to that build), you should be able to handle a bunker rush. Harder to handle would be a timed rush Like Oov did to Savior in those same spots or like Midas did to Chojja on Azalea at WCG Korea 2006 (it's a 2 rax rush where you cut SCVs after I think 15, not 100% sure on the number, and power off 2 rax and launch a timed assault, hard as hell to stop).
If Zerg is at 12, then on many versions of LT, a tank on the Terran's ledge can smack your third hatch if you place it below your ramp. Some of the "more recent" (yet still very old) versions of LT have been changed so you can't do that, but I know that on the oldest versions you could. Basically, that means that 1 base really is the only option.
However, just because a map forces you to 1 base doesn't mean it's ideal. On Peaks, it is ideal since lurkers are incredibly devastating there and speedlings are also more difficult to be rid of. A good Z player on that map can force the Terran onto the defensive and use that to get the gas expo in the corner. If the Zerg can do his job, the game starts looking good for him pretty fast.
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EPT
