(Old) Dance, baby, dance!

One half of the early game of any race has to do with your build order. So if you know efficient, appropriate build orders and have learned to execute them well consistently, then you're well into being competitive in the early game against good players.

The other half of the early game has to do with how well you can dance. That's right, Daniel-son, you must remember the Wax-on, Wax-off. (Can I be more obscure?... Ummm maybe...)

Ok, ok, you're thinking to yourself, "Wtf is War talking about? He must've finally gone nuts after watching too many Karate Kid sequels." Well, I'm talking about your troop control in the early game. This includes your zealots, marines, zerglings, firebats, and hydralisks. Knowing how to control them is essential in playing the early game well.

Then a lone marine can lure enemy zealots there and have them slaughtered by the marines in the safety of the bunkers. Later you can add some siege tanks and some spider mines in the front for an even better offensive zone. A protoss player might position a few reavers in the back and zealots to cover the front. This setup will easily take out groups of zealots, hydras, zerglings, marines, firebats, and dragoons. You lure your enemies there and they finish the job.

I've seen the "lure" performed quite a few times. The first time I saw it in StarCraft, I think, is when some fellow BBers and I played against Bob Fitch (lead programmer for Starcraft) and some other blizzard guys in some use map settings game.

I'm not saying they developed this move first (who could possibly know?). I'm just saying that that's where I saw it first. I remember it well because I remember getting pissed off at my zealots getting lured and dying.