Golden State Battle of Indio
2023-11-17 – 2023-11-18 · Indio, CA · 📍 83-040 Ave 42 · State championship
Reps: KATHLEEN MCINTOSH, KELLY MCINTOSH · Prize money: $9,000.00
Grand Champion: 2LiveQ (710.8228) · 40 teams
Reserve Champion: 🥈 Meat Candy Q
Entries
40
4 judged meats · 1 ancillary
Top score
710.8228
Winning margin
4.5484
GC over RC
Field average
685.34
median 687.92
Tightest race
Pork
2.2856 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
694.2056
10th place overall
Field spread
115.4856
winner to last place
Prize money
$9,000.00
on the line
Double threats
3
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 5%
beats 95% of 1951 Master Series wins in the data
Traveled in
23%
of the 40 teams with a home region came from outside CA
Form held
Moderate
ρ = -0.37 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1583
avg power rating going in · stronger than 82% of contests
Storylines
🔥 A day of perfect scores
4 perfect 180s were scored at this contest.
📸 Photo finishes
Chicken places 1–2: Meat Candy Q and Cherry Anchor BBQ tied on 180.0000 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 2–3: Cherry Anchor BBQ and 2LiveQ tied on 180.0000 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 8–9: CHULENGO Smoker Team and SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ tied on 175.4056 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
🃏 An upset on the books
2LiveQ came in rated below the field's top team, Heavy Smoke BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 21-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
Score curves (score by finishing position — steep cliffs mean a spread field, flat lines a knife fight)
Category showdown (top / average / median score per meat)
Score distribution
Biggest rating movers (power-rating points won and lost at this contest)
Did form hold? (pre-contest rating vs overall finish — ratings called it if the dots climb to the right)
Where the field came from (home regions on file)
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 180.0000 | 176.5716 | 175.4056 |
| Pork Ribs | 178.8572 | 176.5600 | 174.8572 |
| Pork | 180.0000 | 177.7144 | 177.1428 |
| Brisket | 178.8572 | 176.5600 | 174.2628 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
40 entries · top 710.8228 · median 687.9202
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2LiveQ | |
| 2 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 3 | OM BBQ | |
| 4 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 5 | 7 SINS BBQ | |
| 6 | SMOKIN' VOLTS BBQ | |
| 7 | West Coast BBQ Shop | |
| 8 | Big Johns BBQ Company | |
| 9 | Cherry Anchor BBQ | |
| 10 | BIG RED BBQ | |
| 11 | B' MACKIN BBQ | |
| 12 | Bad Bears BBQ | |
| 13 | PORTERHOUSE BBQ | |
| 14 | 5TH GEAR BBQ | |
| 15 | LADY OF Q | |
| 16 | Heavy Smoke BBQ | |
| 17 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 18 | Weekend Warrior BBQ | |
| 19 | SHIG NINJA BBQ | |
| 20 | ONE PIT WONDER | |
| 21 | The Grinnin Goat | |
| 22 | Your Behind BBQ | |
| 23 | BLAZIN BARRELS BBQ | |
| 24 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | |
| 25 | CHULENGO Smoker Team | |
| 26 | STEVO'S BBQ TEAM | |
| 27 | Big Cat BBQ | |
| 28 | OLD TOWN FRANKLIN BBQ | |
| 29 | Pops BBQ 22 | |
| 30 | LOOT N' BOOTY BBQ | |
| 31 | Big Boys BBQ | |
| 32 | SMOKIN' BLISS BBQ | |
| 33 | CLOUD OF SMOKE BBQ | |
| 34 | SMOKERS PURGATORY | |
| 35 | Rhythm n QUE | |
| 36 | B Lee's BBQ | |
| 37 | GIRLS CAN GRILL | |
| 38 | SoCal Outlaw BBQ | |
| 39 | New Life BBQ | |
| 40 | PS Catering |
Chicken
40 entries · top 180.0000 · median 172.8342 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 2 | Cherry Anchor BBQ | |
| 3 | 2LiveQ | |
| 4 | Big Johns BBQ Company | |
| 5 | PORTERHOUSE BBQ | |
| 6 | Your Behind BBQ | |
| 7 | SMOKIN' VOLTS BBQ | |
| 8 | CHULENGO Smoker Team | |
| 9 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | |
| 10 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 11 | SMOKIN' BLISS BBQ | |
| 12 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 13 | West Coast BBQ Shop | |
| 14 | BIG RED BBQ | |
| 15 | 5TH GEAR BBQ | |
| 16 | Big Cat BBQ | |
| 17 | 7 SINS BBQ | |
| 18 | LADY OF Q | |
| 19 | Weekend Warrior BBQ | |
| 20 | Rhythm n QUE | |
| 21 | B' MACKIN BBQ | |
| 22 | New Life BBQ | |
| 23 | OM BBQ | |
| 24 | OLD TOWN FRANKLIN BBQ | |
| 25 | ONE PIT WONDER | |
| 26 | The Grinnin Goat | |
| 27 | LOOT N' BOOTY BBQ | |
| 28 | Big Boys BBQ | |
| 29 | CLOUD OF SMOKE BBQ | |
| 30 | Bad Bears BBQ | |
| 31 | B Lee's BBQ | |
| 32 | Heavy Smoke BBQ | |
| 33 | SMOKERS PURGATORY | |
| 34 | SoCal Outlaw BBQ | |
| 35 | Pops BBQ 22 | |
| 36 | SHIG NINJA BBQ | |
| 37 | BLAZIN BARRELS BBQ | |
| 38 | STEVO'S BBQ TEAM | |
| 39 | GIRLS CAN GRILL | |
| 40 | PS Catering |
Pork Ribs
40 entries · top 178.8572 · median 171.9830
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SMOKERS PURGATORY | |
| 2 | The Grinnin Goat | |
| 3 | ONE PIT WONDER | |
| 4 | 5TH GEAR BBQ | |
| 5 | STEVO'S BBQ TEAM | |
| 6 | LOOT N' BOOTY BBQ | |
| 7 | Pops BBQ 22 | |
| 8 | 2LiveQ | |
| 9 | LADY OF Q | |
| 10 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 11 | SMOKIN' VOLTS BBQ | |
| 12 | Your Behind BBQ | |
| 13 | Big Johns BBQ Company | |
| 14 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 15 | GIRLS CAN GRILL | |
| 16 | CLOUD OF SMOKE BBQ | |
| 17 | BIG RED BBQ | |
| 18 | Big Boys BBQ | |
| 19 | OM BBQ | |
| 20 | Cherry Anchor BBQ | |
| 21 | Heavy Smoke BBQ | |
| 22 | 7 SINS BBQ | |
| 23 | B' MACKIN BBQ | |
| 24 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 25 | OLD TOWN FRANKLIN BBQ | |
| 26 | PORTERHOUSE BBQ | |
| 27 | West Coast BBQ Shop | |
| 28 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | |
| 29 | SHIG NINJA BBQ | |
| 30 | BLAZIN BARRELS BBQ | |
| 31 | Big Cat BBQ | |
| 32 | B Lee's BBQ | |
| 33 | Weekend Warrior BBQ | |
| 34 | Bad Bears BBQ | |
| 35 | CHULENGO Smoker Team | |
| 36 | Rhythm n QUE | |
| 37 | New Life BBQ | |
| 38 | SoCal Outlaw BBQ | |
| 39 | SMOKIN' BLISS BBQ | |
| 40 | PS Catering |
Pork
40 entries · top 180.0000 · median 173.1142 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2LiveQ | |
| 2 | Bad Bears BBQ | |
| 3 | 7 SINS BBQ | |
| 4 | Weekend Warrior BBQ | |
| 5 | West Coast BBQ Shop | |
| 6 | LADY OF Q | |
| 7 | OM BBQ | |
| 8 | STEVO'S BBQ TEAM | |
| 9 | SMOKIN' VOLTS BBQ | |
| 10 | BLAZIN BARRELS BBQ | |
| 11 | B' MACKIN BBQ | |
| 12 | Heavy Smoke BBQ | |
| 13 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 14 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 15 | BIG RED BBQ | |
| 16 | CHULENGO Smoker Team | |
| 17 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | |
| 18 | SHIG NINJA BBQ | |
| 19 | PORTERHOUSE BBQ | |
| 20 | Big Boys BBQ | |
| 21 | Rhythm n QUE | |
| 22 | Your Behind BBQ | |
| 23 | Cherry Anchor BBQ | |
| 24 | Pops BBQ 22 | |
| 25 | 5TH GEAR BBQ | |
| 26 | Big Johns BBQ Company | |
| 27 | Big Cat BBQ | |
| 28 | New Life BBQ | |
| 29 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 30 | CLOUD OF SMOKE BBQ | |
| 31 | GIRLS CAN GRILL | |
| 32 | ONE PIT WONDER | |
| 33 | SMOKERS PURGATORY | |
| 34 | SMOKIN' BLISS BBQ | |
| 35 | OLD TOWN FRANKLIN BBQ | |
| 36 | LOOT N' BOOTY BBQ | |
| 37 | B Lee's BBQ | |
| 38 | The Grinnin Goat | |
| 39 | SoCal Outlaw BBQ | |
| 40 | PS Catering |
Brisket
40 entries · top 178.8572 · median 170.8228
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 2 | OM BBQ | |
| 3 | SHIG NINJA BBQ | |
| 4 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 5 | West Coast BBQ Shop | |
| 6 | Bad Bears BBQ | |
| 7 | SMOKIN' BLISS BBQ | |
| 8 | 2LiveQ | |
| 9 | 7 SINS BBQ | |
| 10 | OLD TOWN FRANKLIN BBQ | |
| 11 | The Grinnin Goat | |
| 12 | B Lee's BBQ | |
| 13 | Big Johns BBQ Company | |
| 14 | Heavy Smoke BBQ | |
| 15 | BIG RED BBQ | |
| 16 | Cherry Anchor BBQ | |
| 17 | BLAZIN BARRELS BBQ | |
| 18 | PORTERHOUSE BBQ | |
| 19 | ONE PIT WONDER | |
| 20 | CHULENGO Smoker Team | |
| 21 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 22 | SMOKIN' VOLTS BBQ | |
| 23 | B' MACKIN BBQ | |
| 24 | Weekend Warrior BBQ | |
| 25 | Big Cat BBQ | |
| 26 | GIRLS CAN GRILL | |
| 27 | LOOT N' BOOTY BBQ | |
| 28 | SoCal Outlaw BBQ | |
| 29 | 5TH GEAR BBQ | |
| 30 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | |
| 31 | CLOUD OF SMOKE BBQ | |
| 32 | Rhythm n QUE | |
| 33 | Pops BBQ 22 | |
| 34 | Your Behind BBQ | |
| 35 | LADY OF Q | |
| 36 | Big Boys BBQ | |
| 37 | STEVO'S BBQ TEAM | |
| 38 | SMOKERS PURGATORY | |
| 39 | New Life BBQ | |
| 40 | PS Catering |
Ancillary categories
Run by the organizers alongside the sanctioned contest. These are judged on their own terms and do not count toward the overall score, so they're kept out of the meat stats above.
Ancillary — Dessert
8 entries · top 180.0000 · median 174.5600 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | GIRLS CAN GRILL | |
| 2 | OM BBQ | |
| 3 | BLAZIN BARRELS BBQ | |
| 4 | LOOT N' BOOTY BBQ | |
| 5 | 2LiveQ | |
| 6 | Your Behind BBQ | |
| 7 | West Coast BBQ Shop | |
| 8 | Bad Bears BBQ |