The person who is currently in the last qualifying position at a pinball tournament (for example: 16th place out of 16 qualifiers). The Gatekeeper must be sure to rigorously defend the position or work quickly to move higher in the standings.
A strategy used during tournament qualification rounds wherein a player specifically looks at the games and scores of someone immediately below them in the rankings who is looking to challenge them.
A period in the qualification round of a pinball tournament that occurs late at night and can last until early the next morning until the qualification period closes. During this period, pinball competitors are frantically playing many entries in an effort to qualify for the tournament.
