Protoss vs. Zerg

Initially, the most difficult match up for a Protoss player of any skill is against a Zerg player.  Zerg is the easiest race to learn, and is the exact opposite of Protoss in many aspects.  This is basically due to Zerg having the opportunity to go on the offensive much earlier than a toss player can.  Offense always beats defense in Starcraft, and this is why a good zerg player usually beats a protoss player of equal skill.  When i say that zerg can go on offense first, i am of course referring to the popular zergling rush.

Alteration of build order vs Zerg
Because Zerg build faster than protoss, it is necessary to change the build order to better suit speed (getting units faster) instead of economy.  To accomplish this, the build order changes from 7th probe pylon, 9th probe gateway, to 6th probe pylon, 7th probe gateway.  Read on for more.....

Defending Against the Zergling Rush

Many toss players complain that the zerg rush is too fast, and its impossible to beat it.  When i first began playing, i also felt this way, but now i know the truth.
Although good rushers can get the 6 zergling rush off in about 2:30-3:30, it is still possible to beat it by playing fast and building smart. 

Anti-Zerglings Order

This is my "new" way of beating the zergling rush, as i have been studying this defense for a while now, and have kept it secret, but i will now reveal it, as i feel comfortable with the way it works.  The way i came up with this was by thinking about what a zerg player does when he rushes.  Basically, if he goes all-out lings at the beginning, he is sacrificing his econ in favor of getting his 6 lings ASAP.  So, for a toss player to defend that, he has to do the same thing: sacrifice economy to get his first1-2 zealots.  With this new order, you get your first zealot in 2:21.  This is enough time to stop the rush, as a zerg player who gets his lings ate 2:00 still has to walk to your base, where he will have a zealot and 12 angry probes waiting for him.  Plus, with the 2nd gateway, the second zealot will come faster as well, meaning it is easy to put out a sustained rush as well.  (The normal toss order produces the 1st zealot at 2:40, which i find to be a tad too slow). Remember:  Do NOT tell your probes to attack!! Group them with your zealot and hit P for patrol!! When you tell probes to attack, only 2 of them will actually engage the enemy, while the rest sit there watching.  If you group them with the zealot, it becomes possible to patrol the probes, meaning they will patrol a given area (next to or behind the lings) and will ALL attack the lings with the zealot!!
                      6th probe: pylon
                      7th probe: gateway
From here, keep making probes and pylons, make the first zealot when the gate warps in, and get a second gate ASAP.                  



Method 2 - Turtling with Cannons

This is a somewhat reliable way to squelch a zerlgiing rush, but it really kills your build order and the amount of time it takes you to get a good attack force (which basically means you are gonna hafta go carriers).  First, build a pylon right next to your nexus with the 7th probe, and make a forge with the 9th probe.  When your 12th probe comes out, the pylon should be done. Warp in 2 cannnons, one on each side of the pylon.  The cannons are done warping in before the lings attack 99% of the time, and since they can hit the lings before the lings can hit ANYTHING they usually die before they even get to the nexus.  From here, i suggest getting more cannons around your base and going for templars as soon as you can since, by turtling, you have allowed the zerg player a major advantage in troup production, and will need PSI storm to kill his waves of hydras, mutalisks, and guardians.  Although this is a solid strategy, and works nearly every time, it sets you back and forces you on the defensive which i utterly despise. 

Surviving the Mutalisk Rush
Even more feared then the zergling rush, is the mutalisk rush.  There you are, 6 minutes into the game thinking "cool, they never zergling rushed me, now i will kick their ass!!" Then you hear a squaking sound and the gut-wrenching "We are under attack!"  Then you look to see 3 mutalisks harrassing your unprotected probes, and you dont have anything to even ATTACK air units, cause like a dumbass, you havnt built the cyber core ( to make goons), and didnt think of making cannons by the nexus.  If this  has happend to you, then you need some serious help defending against the mutalisk rush!  Again, there are 2 methods of defeating the muta rush, depending on which build order style you are planning on using:

Method 1 - 7th Probe Gateway

If you follow the anti-zerglings order, building the gateway with the 7th probe, then defeating the muta rush is easy.  Use the 16th or 17th probe to make a cyber core.  By the time that thing warps in, start makin dragoons.  You will get your goons at the same time he will get his mutas, and 2-4 goons can easily take his first string of mutas, as they have a crappy ground attack (although they do cause splash damage, meaning they damage all your goons in a certain area with each hit).  After the initial attack, your gonna want to pump out more goons, and also make the citadel of adun and templar archives so you can get some temps.  From there, you will most likely face seemingly unending waves of muta/guardian attacks.  As long as you have more templar than you know what to do with (at least 12), you will survive.  Winning the game is a matter of timing. You have 2 choices: 1. Morph your temps into archons and attack his base. or 2. Attack with carriers/arbiters.  While you are making temps, you should start making your attacking force, consisting of powerful units.  Arhcons mutilate zerg, but can fall prey to excessive amounts of sunken colonies.  To avoid this, send observers to his base and check out his defenses.  If he has NO defense, then use whatever you want to kill him. If he has lotsa sunkens, but no (or a few) spore colonies, then go Air on him.  Just do what makes sense according to the situation.  You hafta time your attack right after you sqelch his attack. That way, he has almost nothing to attack you except troops he made during the attack.  Use this combination of good recon and good timing to kill mutalisk/guardian rushers.

Method 2 - Turtle Method

If you turtled, then it will be easier to climb the tech tree to goons and templars, but you will need to warp in 4 gateways so you can make these units in mass quantities.  You might as well throw up cannons around your base as well.  Try to build in layers throught your base, so the enemy cant just park a few mutas over a pylon or a building that has no protection from your cannons.  Then, follow the above strategies (more templar then you know what to do with), and you will most likely win the game (or force your enemy to allie cause there will be a stalemate).