A statement win
10.8684
points clear of the field
Wider than 89% of the 4,714 championships in the data
The champion won by 10.8684 points — a wider margin than 89% of championships in the data.
Smokin' in the Ville 2015
Apr 24–25, 2015 · Edwardsville, KS
TRUEBUD BBQ won Grand Champion at the Smokin' in the Ville on April 24, 2015 in Edwardsville, KS, scoring 702.8344 in a field of 29 teams. BRICKHEAD BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 691.9660. Category winners: Chicken — EATIN AINT CHEATIN (177.7028); Pork Ribs — 913 BBQ (177.7144); Pork — 18 TH & SWINE BBQ (177.7372); Brisket — TRUEBUD BBQ (180.0000). This is the 1st of 3 editions of this contest on record; 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.
517.76
median 656.56
702.83 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 177.70
- Pork Ribs 177.71
- Pork 177.74
- Brisket 180 🔥
20
180
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2015 to 2017 — this edition picked out.
Entries
29
4 judged meats
Top score
702.8344
Winning margin
10.8684
GC over RC
Field average
650.52
517.76702.83
median 656.56 · last place to winner
Tightest race
Chicken
2.8228 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
670.2512
517.76702.83
10th place overall
Field spread
185.0744
winner to last place
Double threats
4
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 22%
beats 78% of 4715 Master Series wins in the data
Form held
Moderate
ρ = -0.59 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,526
avg power rating going in · stronger than 18% 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 7 calls decided inside half a point
Pork places 5–6: BREW 'N' BAR-B-QUE and TRUEBUD BBQ tied on 171.9772 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 7–8: Pig in a Poke edged BRICKHEAD BBQ by 0.0112. Pork Ribs places 6–7: 4 MEAT SAKES edged Pig in a Poke by 0.0116.
- Pork 5–6 · tie
- Pork Ribs 7–8 · 0.0112
- Pork Ribs 6–7 · 0.0116
- Pork 4–5 · 0.0228
How the title was won
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
TRUEBUD BBQ took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was pork at 6th.
- Chicken 3rd
- Pork Ribs 3rd
- Pork 6th
- Brisket 1st
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.
- TRUEBUD 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 24, 2015 ← this one | Edwardsville, KS | Edwardsville, KS 66111 | 29 | 702.8344 | TRUEBUD BBQ | BRICKHEAD BBQ |
| Apr 29, 2016 | Edwardsville, KS | Edwardsville City Park | 30 | 698.8228 | 913 BBQ | SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ |
| Apr 28, 2017 | Edwardsville, KS | 3 & 4th street | 26 | 702.2284 | SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ | BLIND SQUIRREL BBQ |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 177.7028 | 174.8800 | 169.6912 |
| Pork Ribs | 177.7144 | 173.1200 | 169.1200 |
| Pork | 177.7372 | 171.9772 | 166.2972 |
| Brisket | 180 | 173.7600 | 169.1200 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
29 entries · top 702.8344 · median 656.5600
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | TRUEBUD BBQ | |
| 2 | BRICKHEAD BBQ | |
| 3 | BREW 'N' BAR-B-QUE | |
| 4 | 913 BBQ | |
| 5 | Pig in a Poke | |
| 6 | 18 TH & SWINE BBQ | |
| 7 | 4 MEAT SAKES | |
| 8 | MIDNIGHT STOKERS | |
| 9 | SMOKE ON WHEELS | |
| 10 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 11 | 99 PROBLEMS SMOKIN AINT 1 | |
| 12 | INDIGO PIG | |
| 13 | EATIN AINT CHEATIN | |
| 14 | GEN QUE | |
| 15 | RBQ BBQ KS | |
| 16 | Sloppy Hogs | |
| 17 | 2 DRUNK 2 QUE | |
| 18 | The Big Loins | |
| 19 | Run Pig Run | |
| 20 | SMOKIN GOOD BBQ | |
| 21 | YARDHOGS BBQ | |
| 22 | Porkopolis | |
| 23 | JACKWAGON BBQ | |
| 24 | Partners n Crime | |
| 25 | MAPLE TRAILS SMOKED BBQ | |
| 26 | Couzin Bar-B-Q | |
| 27 | DOTTEBOYS BBQ | |
| 28 | Sudden Sam's BBQ | |
| 29 | SMOKIN ZEKE'S BBQ |
Chicken
29 entries · top 177.7028 · median 166.2972
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | EATIN AINT CHEATIN | |
| 2 | BRICKHEAD BBQ | |
| 3 | TRUEBUD BBQ | |
| 4 | 913 BBQ | |
| 5 | SMOKIN ZEKE'S BBQ | |
| 6 | 4 MEAT SAKES | |
| 7 | SMOKE ON WHEELS | |
| 8 | Pig in a Poke | |
| 9 | 18 TH & SWINE BBQ | |
| 10 | BREW 'N' BAR-B-QUE | |
| 11 | INDIGO PIG | |
| 12 | 2 DRUNK 2 QUE | |
| 13 | 99 PROBLEMS SMOKIN AINT 1 | |
| 14 | Partners n Crime | |
| 15 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 16 | Run Pig Run | |
| 17 | MIDNIGHT STOKERS | |
| 18 | JACKWAGON BBQ | |
| 19 | Sloppy Hogs | |
| 20 | DOTTEBOYS BBQ | |
| 21 | GEN QUE | |
| 22 | RBQ BBQ KS | |
| 23 | The Big Loins | |
| 24 | MAPLE TRAILS SMOKED BBQ | |
| 25 | Couzin Bar-B-Q | |
| 26 | SMOKIN GOOD BBQ | |
| 27 | Porkopolis | |
| 28 | YARDHOGS BBQ | |
| 29 | Sudden Sam's BBQ |
Pork Ribs
29 entries · top 177.7144 · median 164.5944
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 913 BBQ | |
| 2 | INDIGO PIG | |
| 3 | TRUEBUD BBQ | |
| 4 | YARDHOGS BBQ | |
| 5 | RBQ BBQ KS | |
| 6 | 4 MEAT SAKES | |
| 7 | Pig in a Poke | |
| 8 | BRICKHEAD BBQ | |
| 9 | BREW 'N' BAR-B-QUE | |
| 10 | 99 PROBLEMS SMOKIN AINT 1 | |
| 11 | MIDNIGHT STOKERS | |
| 12 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 13 | EATIN AINT CHEATIN | |
| 14 | The Big Loins | |
| 15 | Sloppy Hogs | |
| 16 | SMOKIN ZEKE'S BBQ | |
| 17 | SMOKIN GOOD BBQ | |
| 18 | MAPLE TRAILS SMOKED BBQ | |
| 19 | 2 DRUNK 2 QUE | |
| 20 | SMOKE ON WHEELS | |
| 21 | 18 TH & SWINE BBQ | |
| 22 | Porkopolis | |
| 23 | GEN QUE | |
| 24 | Partners n Crime | |
| 25 | JACKWAGON BBQ | |
| 26 | Run Pig Run | |
| 27 | Couzin Bar-B-Q | |
| 28 | Sudden Sam's BBQ | |
| 29 | DOTTEBOYS BBQ |
Pork
29 entries · top 177.7372 · median 162.2744
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18 TH & SWINE BBQ | |
| 2 | Pig in a Poke | |
| 3 | MIDNIGHT STOKERS | |
| 4 | 4 MEAT SAKES | |
| 5 | BREW 'N' BAR-B-QUE | |
| 6 | TRUEBUD BBQ | |
| 7 | SMOKE ON WHEELS | |
| 8 | INDIGO PIG | |
| 9 | GEN QUE | |
| 10 | The Big Loins | |
| 11 | BRICKHEAD BBQ | |
| 12 | 913 BBQ | |
| 13 | RBQ BBQ KS | |
| 14 | Porkopolis | |
| 15 | DOTTEBOYS BBQ | |
| 16 | Partners n Crime | |
| 17 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 18 | MAPLE TRAILS SMOKED BBQ | |
| 19 | 2 DRUNK 2 QUE | |
| 20 | 99 PROBLEMS SMOKIN AINT 1 | |
| 21 | Run Pig Run | |
| 22 | JACKWAGON BBQ | |
| 23 | YARDHOGS BBQ | |
| 24 | SMOKIN ZEKE'S BBQ | |
| 25 | Couzin Bar-B-Q | |
| 26 | EATIN AINT CHEATIN | |
| 27 | Sudden Sam's BBQ | |
| 28 | Sloppy Hogs | |
| 29 | SMOKIN GOOD BBQ |
Brisket
29 entries · top 180 · median 164.5600 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | TRUEBUD BBQ | |
| 2 | BRICKHEAD BBQ | |
| 3 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 4 | BREW 'N' BAR-B-QUE | |
| 5 | GEN QUE | |
| 6 | 18 TH & SWINE BBQ | |
| 7 | Sloppy Hogs | |
| 8 | 913 BBQ | |
| 9 | MIDNIGHT STOKERS | |
| 10 | 99 PROBLEMS SMOKIN AINT 1 | |
| 11 | SMOKIN GOOD BBQ | |
| 12 | Run Pig Run | |
| 13 | SMOKE ON WHEELS | |
| 14 | EATIN AINT CHEATIN | |
| 15 | Pig in a Poke | |
| 16 | Couzin Bar-B-Q | |
| 17 | 4 MEAT SAKES | |
| 18 | RBQ BBQ KS | |
| 19 | 2 DRUNK 2 QUE | |
| 20 | The Big Loins | |
| 21 | JACKWAGON BBQ | |
| 22 | YARDHOGS BBQ | |
| 23 | Porkopolis | |
| 24 | INDIGO PIG | |
| 25 | DOTTEBOYS BBQ | |
| 26 | Sudden Sam's BBQ | |
| 27 | MAPLE TRAILS SMOKED BBQ | |
| 28 | Partners n Crime | |
| 29 | SMOKIN ZEKE'S BBQ |