I haven't looked into SC2 as much, but in the BW version of the the extractor trick, the cost-benefit tips at some point within the timespan of 'rushes'. That is, it'll be wonderful for very very fast rushes, but more 'patient' rushes are harmed by it. And at least for BW rushes, the trend seemed to be in the last bit before SC2 came out to trend towards more patient rushes. People weren't even looking for the win off the rushes anymore, but rather some sort of fast econ harrass to early map control. That mind set, where fast extractor tricks were optimal probably carried over a bit into the SC2 build making process.
Yes, most high level play isn't really looking to do all-in rushes like this. The goal is more to "fast econ harrass to early map control" giving you an early advantage and allowing you to eventually win.
Well, that's true and not true. On the ladder, where every game is (sort of) a one-off, you want to have a solid game, and it doesn't matter so much if it's a predictable "standard" game as long as you play better than your opponent.
But if you're a known player playing against other known players, or if you're playing best-of-N matches, it's valuable to have demonstrated flexibility in your play and a willingness to perform individually suboptimal strategies like early all-ins. If your opponent believes that you're capable of many different things, they will feel compelled to scout earlier and more carefully, and their options will be restricted slightly until they feel they can pin down exactly what you're up to.
I'd have to disagree regarding rushes in high level play. I most enjoy 4v4 random and a key move is decimating one opponent's economy to the point that they become a non-factor in the game. With this build order in a 4v4 one player can neutralize a Protoss or Zerg player and then pivot to mutas or continue with roach/hydra. Since your economy isn't in shambles like a traditional 6 pool zergling rush, even if you fail with the roaches you are still left in acceptable shape to assist your teammates.
I specify this being useful in 4v4 against Protoss/Zerg as Terran traditionally wall and the few seconds it takes to burst through the wall may give their teammates time to mobilize.
Note- I wrote this under the impression that your mentioning "all-in rushes" didn't include sending your drones in to act as meat shields. In a 4v4 that would be suicide and invalidate my point.
By 'High-level play' he is most likely referring to tournaments and the e-sports scene, which is almost entirely 1v1 and plays very differently from 4v4.
I see. In that case it applies even more. It might be considered a cheese rush but an all-in with your drones would be very hard to counter unless they were able to hold the choke. It would have a good chance of ending the game in under 8 minutes versus drawing it out another 5-7 minutes.
It seems like cheese has failed more often than not so far in the GSL. At best it's a 50-50 proposition.
Tester deftly deflected cheese attempts from Hyperdub and NexFreeSaga before crushing the remains of their army in season 1. On the other hand, fan favorite TLO was eliminated by some proxy barracks from the cheese-loving Hyperdub and GSL season 1 winner aFruitDealer showed that he wasn't above a cheese game or two with a ballsy six-pool on a four spawn map against Inca.
Cheese fails every time if it's spotted against a high-level player, which is why it's cheese. These guys have definitely practiced against 6-pool, proxy gate, proxy rax, 7 roach rush a thousand times. There's no way they would take a cheesy loss with $80,000 on the line or give up the easy counter and auto-win.
This is half true. Indeed, currently European/NA players play quite "standard" at tournaments, avoiding rushes and "all-in" strategies. The Koreans, however, at GSL have shown that they're neither afraid nor hesitant to do so.
In the GSL (the largest SC2 tournament) there have been quite a few all-in rushes. Usually one player doesn't like his chances on the map, race matchup, or he feels he is inferior to the other player so he all-ins in an attempt to pick up an unlikely victory.
