PvT Defending Terran 1-1-1 All in with Stargate Opening

Every Protoss in SC2 is trying their best to figure out the best defense against the deadly Terran 1-1-1 all in. The next patch should fix this problem slightly. However, currently the best defense against 1-1-1 is the Stargate Opening. You should be very familiar now with the Terran 1-1-1 as this cheese has been done over and over again by pro gamers in Major SC2 tournaments from GSL to MLG. In fact, the extremely high win rate for this build makes this strategy near impossible to be defended for Protoss. I have written a post previously why Terran 1-1-1 all in is so imbalance HERE. Let's take a look why is 1-1-1 so deadly

• Protoss players can know the 1-1-1 push is coming and still lose to it. 
• Build order Lose (Banshee)
• Timing
• Perfect play by Protoss
• Terran setting up a Hard Contain 
• The 1-1-1 Hits Twice not Once

The ultimate defense against Terran 1-1-1 for Protoss is the STARGATE BUILD. Some people may argue that the best way is to go for a fast expansion such as 1 Gate expansion or even 16 Nexus for a superior economy. However, Terran player can easily scout the Protoss build early in the game and tweak their all in timing to what you are doing. This is the weakness of the fast expansion builds builds.

Let's take a look at the Stargate Openings.

Void Ray Opening
Stargate openings give the Protoss gamer access to Void Rays and Phoenixes. These are the best units to push the Terran or setting up defence against Banshees. Void Rays are totally broken
when you are opting for an offensive route with a 3 Gateway and 1 Stargate Build. Often times, when the Terran is going for a 1-1-1 build, they tend to wall off the front of their base. With Void Ray granting vision for your Stalkers and Sentries you can easily take down the front Supply Depots thus supply block them and reducing their army and resources. You can easily Force Field the Marines at a front and clear them with your army easily. However, the main weakness of the Void Ray option is its vulnerability to Clock Banshee. If your Forge or Robotics is too late, you will be losing a lot of Probes. However, the hardest part here is to determine whether is Clock being researched. You can even proxy your Stargate for a faster push. 


Phoenix Opening
If you are going for the early Phoenixes, you should have around 3-4 before sending them over to the Terran base to haress. The first thing you should scout for is whether the Clock is being researched at the Starport Tech Lab. You should see a Green Light at the Tech lab if it is researching or else it will be Yellow. Start to pick up Mules or focus down the Banshee or Ravens. Phoenixes are great units. They can pick up Siege Tanks or any other Terran units. Phoenix burn out the Point Defence Drone by Raven very quickly.

Stargate Opening is still very strong against other Terran openings such as 2 Barracks or 1 Barracks into expansion. You can always try to break the Terran front by brute or grab your expansion once you have the Terran contained.

Build Orders

• 9 Pylon 
• 12 Gate (Scout)
• 14 Gas
• 17 Core
• 18 Gas
• Stalker (When Core is done)
• 23 Pylon
• Stargate (Once you have push out the SCV)
• 2 more Gateways
• Start pushing the Terran when the First Void Ray pops out and get another one. Focus down the Supply depots

First 3 units from your Gateway should be Stalker, Stalker, Sentry. The Void Ray opening is extremely strong against the Terran 1-1-1. Try for yourself in your online games and you will be surprised by the result. I have won a lot of PvT games with this build. If you prefer not to all in using the 3 Gateway + Stargate Build, you can always get a Nexus at your expansion after the second Gateway. Try out other variations such as 1 Gate, Expansion into Stargates to try out new builds.

VODS
1. MLG Raleigh LiquidHero vs LiquidTLO - all 3 games
2. GSL August Code S Round of 8 MVPGenius vs oGsTop - Game 1 and 2