A razor-thin finish
0.0112
points between champion and reserve
Closer than 99% of the 4,714 championships in the data
The Grand Championship was decided by 0.0112 points — closer than 99% of every championship in the data.
- ONE2BBQ
- ABLE ACRES BBQ
Smoke on the Square: In Memory of David Harness 2015
Jun 26–27, 2015 · Franklin, IN
ONE2BBQ won Grand Champion at the Smoke on the Square: In Memory of David Harness on June 26, 2015 in Franklin, IN, scoring 694.7884 in a field of 34 teams. ABLE ACRES BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 694.7772. Category winners: Chicken — ONE2BBQ (174.2628); Pork Ribs — BIG JT'S SMOKIN BBQ (177.7028); Pork — RURAL ROUTE BBQ (175.4172); Brisket — ABLE ACRES BBQ (180.0000). This is the 3rd of 5 editions of this contest on record; the 2014 edition was won by HISTORIC BBQ; the next was held in 2016.
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.
473.68
median 649.64
694.79 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 174.26
- Pork Ribs 177.70
- Pork 175.42
- Brisket 180 🔥
20
180
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2013 to 2017 — this edition picked out.
Entries
34
4 judged meats
Top score
694.7884
Winning margin
0.0112
GC over RC
Field average
644.55
473.68694.79
median 649.64 · last place to winner
Tightest race
Chicken
1.1544 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
670.7888
473.68694.79
10th place overall
Field spread
221.1084
winner to last place
Double threats
6
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 56%
beats 44% of 4715 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
38%
13 of 34 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.85 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,558
avg power rating going in · stronger than 44% of contests
Storylines (7 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.
A dynasty in the making
2×
wins at this contest
2 of 5 tracked editions
BIG JT'S SMOKIN BBQ has won this contest 2 times across its 5 tracked editions.
- 2013
- 2016
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 9 calls decided inside half a point
Chicken places 1–2: ONE2BBQ and GREY STREET BBQ tied on 174.2628 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 7–8: YELLOW RIVER BBQ and RURAL ROUTE BBQ tied on 167.9772 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 9–10: RIB RUNNERS and YELLOW RIVER BBQ tied on 170.8228 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Chicken 1–2 · tie
- Pork Ribs 7–8 · tie
- Pork 9–10 · tie
- Brisket 8–9 · tie
How the title was won
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
ONE2BBQ took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was pork at 6th.
- Chicken 1st
- Pork Ribs 4th
- Pork 6th
- Brisket 6th
A contest record in brisket
180.0000
best brisket ever cooked here
ABLE ACRES BBQ turned in 180.0000 in brisket — past the 174.8572 that had stood across 2 earlier editions.
- old best 174.8572
- across 2 past editions
Back to defend
2
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: BIG JT'S SMOKIN BBQ (won 2013), HISTORIC BBQ (won 2014).
- BIG JT'S SMOKIN BBQ · 2013
- HISTORIC BBQ · 2014
A perfect score on the table
1
perfect 180s
1 perfect 180 was scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
- ABLE ACRES BBQ · Brisket
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 28, 2013 | Franklin, IN | Franklin, IN | 32 | 684 | BIG JT'S SMOKIN BBQ | ONE2BBQ |
| Jun 27, 2014 | Franklin, IN | Franklin, IN 46131 | 34 | 695.3944 | HISTORIC BBQ | HUG HOGS |
| Jun 26, 2015 ← this one | Franklin, IN | Franklin, IN 46131 | 34 | 694.7884 | ONE2BBQ | ABLE ACRES BBQ |
| Jun 24, 2016 | Franklin, IN | 70 E Monroe st. | 31 | 699.4288 | BIG JT'S SMOKIN BBQ | SMOKIN' 4-PLAY BBQ |
| Jun 16, 2017 | Franklin, IN | 70 E Monroe st. | 25 | 703.9888 | ABLE ACRES BBQ | GREY STREET BBQ |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 174.2628 | 173.1084 | 169.1772 |
| Pork Ribs | 177.7028 | 172.5484 | 165.0972 |
| Pork | 175.4172 | 173.1200 | 170.8228 |
| Brisket | 180 | 173.7028 | 170.2856 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
34 entries · top 694.7884 · median 649.6400
Chicken
34 entries · top 174.2628 · median 165.4000
Pork Ribs
34 entries · top 177.7028 · median 160.2514
Pork
34 entries · top 175.4172 · median 166.2570
Brisket
34 entries · top 180 · median 164 · 🔥 perfect 180