A statement win
13.7028
points clear of the field
Wider than 94% of the 4,742 championships in the data
The champion won by 13.7028 points — a wider margin than 94% of championships in the data.
Squealin' on the Square
2013-10-04 – 2013-10-05 · Laurens, SC · 📍 Laurens, SC
Grand Champion: KILLER B'S BBQ (691.3828) · 28 teams
Reserve Champion: 🥈 TENACIOUS Q
The contest at a glance (read off the scored boards)
How the field scored
Overall totals, every team on the board — tall stacks are where the pack sat.
426.38
median 632.16
691.38 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 178.86
- Pork Ribs 178.32
- Pork 176.56
- Brisket 172.56
126.83
178.86
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2013 to 2021 — this edition picked out.
Entries
28
4 judged meats
Top score
691.3828
Winning margin
13.7028
GC over RC
Field average
629.05
426.38691.38
median 632.16 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Brisket
5.7144 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
658.7540
426.38691.38
10th place overall
Field spread
265.0056
winner to last place
Double threats
7
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 66%
beats 34% of 4707 Master Series wins in the data
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.73 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1510
avg power rating going in · stronger than 7% of contests
Storylines (4 found in this contest's numbers)
Everything below is read straight out of the results — the number on each card is the one that made it a story.
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 9 calls decided inside half a point
Chicken places 5–6: PALMETTO PITMASTERS and KILLER B'S BBQ tied on 169.1200 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 6–7: KILLER B'S BBQ and BLUE SKY BBQ tied on 169.1200 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 5–6: County Line Que and PALMETTO PITMASTERS tied on 169.1200 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Chicken 5–6 · tie
- Chicken 6–7 · tie
- Pork 5–6 · tie
- Pork 8–9 · tie
A double category winner
2
category wins in a day
KILLER B'S BBQ won Pork, Brisket — a double, and took the Grand Championship on top of it.
- Pork 1st
- Brisket 1st
How the title was won
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
KILLER B'S BBQ took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 2 outright wins — their weakest board was chicken at 6th.
- Chicken 6th
- Pork Ribs 4th
- Pork 1st
- Brisket 1st
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)
This contest over the years full contest page →
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-10-04 ← this one | Laurens, SC | Laurens, SC | 28 | 691.3828 | KILLER B'S BBQ | TENACIOUS Q |
| 2014-10-03 | Laurens, SC | Laurens, SC 29360 | 25 | 692.0116 | SAUCED! BBQ TEAM | TEMPLAR TEMPTATIONS |
| 2015-10-02 | Laurens, SC | Laurens, SC 29360 | 25 | 687.3368 | VICTORY SMOKERS | THE SMOKEHOUSE MAFIA |
| 2016-09-30 | Laurens, SC | Downtown | 26 | 694.7656 | REDNECK SCIENTIFIC | ROCKY TOP BARBEQUE |
| 2019-10-04 | Laurens, SC | 119 E Laurens St | 19 | 696.5028 | Smoke on This | RIVER ROAD GRILLBILLIES |
| 2021-10-01 | Laurens, SC | 119 E Laurens St | 17 | 695.9316 | Continental Barbecue Co. | REDMULE'S BBQ |
| 2022-09-30 | Laurens, SC | — | — | — | — | — |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 178.8572 | 169.1200 | 166.2284 |
| Pork Ribs | 178.3200 | 166.8572 | 163.9544 |
| Pork | 176.5600 | 169.1200 | 165.6800 |
| Brisket | 172.5600 | 166.8456 | 159.4172 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
28 entries · top 691.3828 · median 632.1596
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | KILLER B'S BBQ | |
| 2 | TENACIOUS Q | |
| 3 | MIDNIGHT BURN | |
| 4 | County Line Que | |
| 5 | BLUE SKY BBQ | |
| 6 | QUEOLOGY | |
| 7 | BALD HAWG BBQ | |
| 8 | NARD'S BACKYARD BBQ | |
| 9 | BERRY PATCH BBQ | |
| 10 | PALMETTO PITMASTERS | |
| 11 | SUE E PIGG | |
| 12 | V QUE | |
| 13 | REC BBQ | |
| 14 | St. Louis Pit - Que | |
| 15 | HICKORY NUT BBQ OF SOUTH CAROLINA | |
| 16 | PIG ON FIRE | |
| 17 | BLUE SUEDE QUE | |
| 18 | SOME-R SWINE | |
| 19 | SHORT BUS SMOKERS | |
| 20 | DIVINE SMOKE | |
| 21 | MACKDADDY'S SOUTHERN SMOKE | |
| 22 | PIGLET ENEMY | |
| 23 | Hometown BBQ | |
| 24 | The Smokin Grill | |
| 25 | GRILLIN & CHILLIN | |
| 26 | SUGAR DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 27 | CD's BBQ | |
| 28 | SMOKE SHACK BBQ |
Chicken
28 entries · top 178.8572 · median 162.8284
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BERRY PATCH BBQ | |
| 2 | TENACIOUS Q | |
| 3 | MIDNIGHT BURN | |
| 4 | BALD HAWG BBQ | |
| 5 | PALMETTO PITMASTERS | |
| 6 | KILLER B'S BBQ | |
| 7 | BLUE SKY BBQ | |
| 8 | REC BBQ | |
| 9 | PIGLET ENEMY | |
| 10 | County Line Que | |
| 11 | DIVINE SMOKE | |
| 12 | HICKORY NUT BBQ OF SOUTH CAROLINA | |
| 13 | QUEOLOGY | |
| 14 | Hometown BBQ | |
| 15 | SUE E PIGG | |
| 16 | BLUE SUEDE QUE | |
| 17 | V QUE | |
| 18 | PIG ON FIRE | |
| 19 | NARD'S BACKYARD BBQ | |
| 20 | SUGAR DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 21 | St. Louis Pit - Que | |
| 22 | MACKDADDY'S SOUTHERN SMOKE | |
| 23 | CD's BBQ | |
| 24 | The Smokin Grill | |
| 25 | GRILLIN & CHILLIN | |
| 26 | SOME-R SWINE | |
| 27 | SHORT BUS SMOKERS | |
| 28 | SMOKE SHACK BBQ |
Pork Ribs
28 entries · top 178.3200 · median 162.2628
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | County Line Que | |
| 2 | NARD'S BACKYARD BBQ | |
| 3 | BALD HAWG BBQ | |
| 4 | KILLER B'S BBQ | |
| 5 | TENACIOUS Q | |
| 6 | BERRY PATCH BBQ | |
| 7 | St. Louis Pit - Que | |
| 8 | MACKDADDY'S SOUTHERN SMOKE | |
| 9 | SUE E PIGG | |
| 10 | MIDNIGHT BURN | |
| 11 | QUEOLOGY | |
| 12 | HICKORY NUT BBQ OF SOUTH CAROLINA | |
| 13 | BLUE SKY BBQ | |
| 14 | V QUE | |
| 15 | SHORT BUS SMOKERS | |
| 16 | REC BBQ | |
| 17 | SOME-R SWINE | |
| 18 | Hometown BBQ | |
| 19 | PALMETTO PITMASTERS | |
| 20 | PIG ON FIRE | |
| 21 | BLUE SUEDE QUE | |
| 22 | SUGAR DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 23 | The Smokin Grill | |
| 24 | PIGLET ENEMY | |
| 25 | SMOKE SHACK BBQ | |
| 26 | GRILLIN & CHILLIN | |
| 27 | CD's BBQ | |
| 28 | DIVINE SMOKE |
Pork
28 entries · top 176.5600 · median 158.5142
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | KILLER B'S BBQ | |
| 2 | QUEOLOGY | |
| 3 | MIDNIGHT BURN | |
| 4 | BLUE SKY BBQ | |
| 5 | County Line Que | |
| 6 | PALMETTO PITMASTERS | |
| 7 | TENACIOUS Q | |
| 8 | BLUE SUEDE QUE | |
| 9 | SOME-R SWINE | |
| 10 | NARD'S BACKYARD BBQ | |
| 11 | SUE E PIGG | |
| 12 | DIVINE SMOKE | |
| 13 | REC BBQ | |
| 14 | SHORT BUS SMOKERS | |
| 15 | BALD HAWG BBQ | |
| 16 | CD's BBQ | |
| 17 | PIG ON FIRE | |
| 18 | St. Louis Pit - Que | |
| 19 | V QUE | |
| 20 | Hometown BBQ | |
| 21 | HICKORY NUT BBQ OF SOUTH CAROLINA | |
| 22 | BERRY PATCH BBQ | |
| 23 | GRILLIN & CHILLIN | |
| 24 | PIGLET ENEMY | |
| 25 | MACKDADDY'S SOUTHERN SMOKE | |
| 26 | The Smokin Grill | |
| 27 | SMOKE SHACK BBQ | |
| 28 | SUGAR DADDY'S BBQ |
Brisket
27 entries · top 172.5600 · median 156.0000
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | KILLER B'S BBQ | |
| 2 | BLUE SKY BBQ | |
| 3 | TENACIOUS Q | |
| 4 | MIDNIGHT BURN | |
| 5 | PALMETTO PITMASTERS | |
| 6 | QUEOLOGY | |
| 7 | BALD HAWG BBQ | |
| 8 | NARD'S BACKYARD BBQ | |
| 9 | BERRY PATCH BBQ | |
| 10 | County Line Que | |
| 11 | PIG ON FIRE | |
| 12 | SHORT BUS SMOKERS | |
| 13 | DIVINE SMOKE | |
| 14 | St. Louis Pit - Que | |
| 15 | V QUE | |
| 16 | SUE E PIGG | |
| 17 | SOME-R SWINE | |
| 18 | PIGLET ENEMY | |
| 19 | HICKORY NUT BBQ OF SOUTH CAROLINA | |
| 20 | BLUE SUEDE QUE | |
| 21 | MACKDADDY'S SOUTHERN SMOKE | |
| 22 | GRILLIN & CHILLIN | |
| 23 | The Smokin Grill | |
| 24 | REC BBQ | |
| 25 | Hometown BBQ | |
| 26 | CD's BBQ | |
| 27 | SUGAR DADDY'S BBQ |