Qualifier Draw

A qualifier draw is a single elimination bracket that stops after a designated round. Players that have not been eliminated all advance to a specific spot in the main bracket where the champion is determined.

Competitors who qualify usually advance into another single elimination bracket know as the main draw, but other draw formats can also be used as the main draw, like round robin tournament brackets or a group pool play bracket.

Often in pro divisions, higher ranked teams do not have to play in the qualifier draw and have a seeded spot in the main bracket.

The main draw that the qualifier draw feeds into usually has the top seeded players that do not have to qualify matched-up against the lowest seeded qualifiers in early rounds.

It is sometimes considered an upset when a qualifier beats one of the seeded players in the first round of the main draw.

The qualifier draw would typically be used in a tournament and not be used in a league or season.

Advantages

Top pros in the world playing in a tournament that can easily beat the lower ranked players can start in the main draw. Lower ranked players get a chance to play other lower ranked player in a qualifier draw, with a chance to increase their ranking instead of losing to the best player in the first round.

Disadvantages

Top teams play fewer matches. Top teams are resting while other teams are qualifying for their spots. In tournaments over a few days in length, amount of rest time can be seen as unfair.

After losing a match in the qualifier draw, a participant is out of the division. However, a qualifier draw can have a separate consolation bracket for losers.