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The blog title is misleading - it should probably read something like 'don't diss any build just because you beat it', or 'A build is more than just memorizing the build order so don't criticize it when you beat noobs executing a build order but failing at the build' but both are a bit too long. Even then, I don't even think my full title will be seen in the preview. Oh well.

I'm referring to this thread in the TL forums where the now-famous Spanishiwa shared his no-gas ZvX BO and drew about the entire Starcraft's world attention given how he roflstomped top players with it.

What I found really annoying was how people were dismissing the build as being 'not viable' and being 'useless', just because 'i faced this build yesterday on ladder and easily beat it'.

There is an obvious logical flaw here. Just because you beat some random person trying to pull it off doesn't mean you've beaten THE build and that it's a crap build.

I think many people fail to realize a certain key point:
) Spanishiwa is one hell of a player.

He didn't just invent a very well-timed and developed build for Zerg. He is a pretty damn good player himself, in every sense of it.
His multitasking is one of the best I've seen - From multi nydus worms, double baneling drop on minerals WHILE bumrushing ling/bling into the toss army, burrowed ling harass at multiple bases WHILE defending an attack... etc.
These are only from the casts I've seen of him, I don't even watch his stream.

In fact, he's one of the players which most commentators can't even keep up with because he's just doing too many things at once. (even those commentators who don't talk alot of nonsense and actually do try to keep track of the action will miss some things)

He has also shown that he knows how to react to different styles - with his build/name spreading like wildfire, every good player is developing a playstyle to counter him specifically when they meet him. From proxy rax to double orbital commands (on top of the main's), etc.

It just frustrates me to see people critique a build just because they beat a lesser player who probably doesn't even know the full picture of the build and didn't execute all aspects of it.

(FYI the 'spanishiwa build' is more than just a no-gas till 40~ food opening - its end goal is mass tier 3 fully upgraded units - and constant harass with whatever necessary to delay until you can get them)

In fact, the same goes for things like the 4-gate - It IS a very viable build even at high level play, and the difference between good players and bad players is that the good players know the key idea of the 4gate -> punish your opponent for going macro/tech at the start.
It doesn't have to win the game - as long as you do sufficient damage you can back out and expand. (I'm assuming it's not those korean 4gates or any other all-in variation) You will also have the mental advantage if you hover your army around as it seems you can hit anytime again, etcetc.


SO for those who scrolled to the bottom thinking 'TL: DR', the main idea is that to learn a build, it's not just the build order you have to learn. It is the whole idea behind it, the transitions out of it, the little nuances of the build (timing, etc).

As always, if you think I'm terribly wrong, absolutely right or you think I smell like onions, feel free to leave a comment below Thanks for reading!