A new contest record
706.8228
highest overall ever cooked here
706.8228 is the highest overall score this contest has ever produced — past the 700.0232 MAR-B-QUE'S BBQ. set in 2015.
- old record 700.0232
- set 2015 by MAR-B-QUE'S BBQ.
Best Dam Barbecue 2016
May 27–28, 2016 · Boulder City, NV · 📍 Colorado St.
BIG POPPA SMOKERS won Grand Champion at the Best Dam Barbecue on May 27, 2016 in Boulder City, NV at Colorado St., scoring 706.8228 in a field of 36 teams. RHYTHM 'N QUE took Reserve Grand Champion with 690.8116. Category winners: Chicken — PORTERHOUSE BBQ (180.0000); Pork Ribs — SIN CITY SMOKERS (178.3200); Pork — BIG POPPA SMOKERS (177.7028); Brisket — BIG POPPA SMOKERS (178.8572). This is the 2nd of 2 editions of this contest on record; the 2015 edition was won by MAR-B-QUE'S BBQ..
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.
470.78
median 655.63
706.82 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 180 🔥
- Pork Ribs 178.32
- Pork 177.70
- Brisket 178.86
128.50
180
Entries
36
4 judged meats
Top score
706.8228
Winning margin
16.0112
GC over RC
Field average
649.12
470.78706.82
median 655.63 · last place to winner
Tightest race
Brisket
4.5944 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
668.4568
470.78706.82
10th place overall
Field spread
236.0456
winner to last place
Double threats
4
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 10%
beats 90% of 4714 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
53%
20 of 38 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.66 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,556
avg power rating going in · stronger than 42% of contests
Storylines (8 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 statement win
16.0112
points clear of the field
Wider than 97% of the 4,713 championships in the data
The champion won by 16.0112 points — a wider margin than 97% of championships in the data.
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 8 calls decided inside half a point
Pork Ribs places 2–3: MAR-B-QUE'S BBQ and SATISFIED HOGS tied on 175.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 7–8: 4 LEGS UP BBQ and BADCAT'S BBQ TEAM tied on 170.8228 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 5–6: NUTIN2IT BUT2QIT edged KNIFE PORK AND SPOON by 0.0228.
- Pork Ribs 2–3 · tie
- Pork 7–8 · tie
- Pork 5–6 · 0.0228
- Brisket 2–3 · 0.0228
A double category winner
2
category wins in a day
BIG POPPA SMOKERS 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
BIG POPPA SMOKERS took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 2 outright wins — their weakest board was pork ribs at 4th.
- Chicken 3rd
- Pork Ribs 4th
- Pork 1st
- Brisket 1st
A contest record in brisket
178.8572
best brisket ever cooked here
BIG POPPA SMOKERS turned in 178.8572 in brisket — past the 176.5828 that had stood across 1 earlier editions.
- old best 176.5828
- across 1 past editions
Back to defend
1
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: MAR-B-QUE'S BBQ. (won 2015).
- MAR-B-QUE'S BBQ. · 2015
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.
- PORTERHOUSE BBQ · Chicken
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 22, 2015 | Boulder City, NV | Boulder City, NV 89006 | 38 | 700.0232 | MAR-B-QUE'S BBQ. | BIG POPPA SMOKERS |
| May 27, 2016 ← this one | Boulder City, NV | Colorado St. | 36 | 706.8228 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | RHYTHM 'N QUE |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 180 | 173.1200 | 170.2856 |
| Pork Ribs | 178.3200 | 173.1316 | 165.6800 |
| Pork | 177.7028 | 172.0228 | 169.7028 |
| Brisket | 178.8572 | 174.2628 | 170.8112 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
36 entries · top 706.8228 · median 655.6286
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 2 | RHYTHM 'N QUE | |
| 3 | PORTERHOUSE BBQ | |
| 4 | SIN CITY SMOKERS | |
| 5 | MAR-B-QUE'S BBQ | |
| 6 | SQUAT AND GOBBLE BARBEQUE | |
| 7 | BAD BOYZ BBQ | |
| 8 | 4 LEGS UP BBQ | |
| 9 | KNIFE PORK AND SPOON | |
| 10 | SMOKIN MO'S BBQ | |
| 11 | YOUR BEHIND BBQ | |
| 12 | Ole E Fo Sho | |
| 13 | TACO TUESDAY | |
| 14 | BADCAT'S BBQ TEAM | |
| 15 | MONSOON BBQ | |
| 16 | FAIRLY ODD BBQ TEAM | |
| 17 | BUTT RUBBIN BBQ | |
| 18 | The BBQ Asylum | |
| 19 | The Smokin' B.A.R. | |
| 20 | BULLPEN BBQ TEAM | |
| 21 | WILD HOGS BBQ | |
| 22 | Infinite Smoke | |
| 23 | ROLLIN SMOKE BARBEQUE | |
| 24 | NUTIN2IT BUT2QIT | |
| 25 | JESSIE RAE'S BBQ | |
| 26 | STOKED TO SMOKE | |
| 27 | BUTTS-N-RACKS | |
| 28 | PIKE INTERNATIONAL GRILLERS & SMOKERS | |
| 29 | THE BBQ NERDS | |
| 30 | VEGAS GRILLBILLIES | |
| 31 | SATISFIED HOGS | |
| 32 | SMOKED PERFECTION | |
| 33 | Boneyard BBQ | |
| 34 | TRT BBQ | |
| 35 | TJ's BBQ | |
| 36 | Fox Smokehouse BBQ |
Chicken
36 entries · top 180 · median 166.5658 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PORTERHOUSE BBQ | |
| 2 | RHYTHM 'N QUE | |
| 3 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 4 | BADCAT'S BBQ TEAM | |
| 5 | BAD BOYZ BBQ | |
| 6 | BUTT RUBBIN BBQ | |
| 7 | MAR-B-QUE'S BBQ | |
| 8 | NUTIN2IT BUT2QIT | |
| 9 | SQUAT AND GOBBLE BARBEQUE | |
| 10 | BUTTS-N-RACKS | |
| 11 | SIN CITY SMOKERS | |
| 12 | THE BBQ NERDS | |
| 13 | JESSIE RAE'S BBQ | |
| 14 | Boneyard BBQ | |
| 15 | WILD HOGS BBQ | |
| 16 | FAIRLY ODD BBQ TEAM | |
| 17 | PIKE INTERNATIONAL GRILLERS & SMOKERS | |
| 18 | TACO TUESDAY | |
| 19 | The Smokin' B.A.R. | |
| 20 | STOKED TO SMOKE | |
| 21 | VEGAS GRILLBILLIES | |
| 22 | YOUR BEHIND BBQ | |
| 23 | MONSOON BBQ | |
| 24 | BULLPEN BBQ TEAM | |
| 25 | KNIFE PORK AND SPOON | |
| 26 | 4 LEGS UP BBQ | |
| 27 | The BBQ Asylum | |
| 28 | ROLLIN SMOKE BARBEQUE | |
| 29 | SMOKIN MO'S BBQ | |
| 30 | Fox Smokehouse BBQ | |
| 31 | Infinite Smoke | |
| 32 | SATISFIED HOGS | |
| 33 | Ole E Fo Sho | |
| 34 | TRT BBQ | |
| 35 | SMOKED PERFECTION | |
| 36 | TJ's BBQ |
Pork Ribs
35 entries · top 178.3200 · median 161.7028
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SIN CITY SMOKERS | |
| 2 | MAR-B-QUE'S BBQ | |
| 3 | SATISFIED HOGS | |
| 4 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 5 | BULLPEN BBQ TEAM | |
| 6 | Ole E Fo Sho | |
| 7 | ROLLIN SMOKE BARBEQUE | |
| 8 | FAIRLY ODD BBQ TEAM | |
| 9 | SQUAT AND GOBBLE BARBEQUE | |
| 10 | 4 LEGS UP BBQ | |
| 11 | Infinite Smoke | |
| 12 | YOUR BEHIND BBQ | |
| 13 | The Smokin' B.A.R. | |
| 14 | RHYTHM 'N QUE | |
| 15 | SMOKIN MO'S BBQ | |
| 16 | KNIFE PORK AND SPOON | |
| 17 | The BBQ Asylum | |
| 18 | JESSIE RAE'S BBQ | |
| 19 | PIKE INTERNATIONAL GRILLERS & SMOKERS | |
| 20 | BUTTS-N-RACKS | |
| 21 | MONSOON BBQ | |
| 22 | PORTERHOUSE BBQ | |
| 23 | THE BBQ NERDS | |
| 24 | NUTIN2IT BUT2QIT | |
| 25 | BUTT RUBBIN BBQ | |
| 26 | BAD BOYZ BBQ | |
| 27 | TACO TUESDAY | |
| 28 | TJ's BBQ | |
| 29 | VEGAS GRILLBILLIES | |
| 30 | Boneyard BBQ | |
| 31 | BADCAT'S BBQ TEAM | |
| 32 | WILD HOGS BBQ | |
| 33 | STOKED TO SMOKE | |
| 34 | SMOKED PERFECTION | |
| 35 | TRT BBQ |
Pork
36 entries · top 177.7028 · median 167.1372
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 2 | RHYTHM 'N QUE | |
| 3 | SMOKIN MO'S BBQ | |
| 4 | WILD HOGS BBQ | |
| 5 | NUTIN2IT BUT2QIT | |
| 6 | KNIFE PORK AND SPOON | |
| 7 | 4 LEGS UP BBQ | |
| 8 | BADCAT'S BBQ TEAM | |
| 9 | SIN CITY SMOKERS | |
| 10 | MAR-B-QUE'S BBQ | |
| 11 | SQUAT AND GOBBLE BARBEQUE | |
| 12 | Ole E Fo Sho | |
| 13 | MONSOON BBQ | |
| 14 | BAD BOYZ BBQ | |
| 15 | PORTERHOUSE BBQ | |
| 16 | The Smokin' B.A.R. | |
| 17 | The BBQ Asylum | |
| 18 | TACO TUESDAY | |
| 19 | JESSIE RAE'S BBQ | |
| 20 | BULLPEN BBQ TEAM | |
| 21 | BUTTS-N-RACKS | |
| 22 | YOUR BEHIND BBQ | |
| 23 | STOKED TO SMOKE | |
| 24 | SMOKED PERFECTION | |
| 25 | Infinite Smoke | |
| 26 | Boneyard BBQ | |
| 27 | TJ's BBQ | |
| 28 | ROLLIN SMOKE BARBEQUE | |
| 29 | Fox Smokehouse BBQ | |
| 30 | VEGAS GRILLBILLIES | |
| 31 | THE BBQ NERDS | |
| 32 | FAIRLY ODD BBQ TEAM | |
| 33 | BUTT RUBBIN BBQ | |
| 34 | TRT BBQ | |
| 35 | SATISFIED HOGS | |
| 36 | PIKE INTERNATIONAL GRILLERS & SMOKERS |
Brisket
36 entries · top 178.8572 · median 164.8400
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 2 | BAD BOYZ BBQ | |
| 3 | PORTERHOUSE BBQ | |
| 4 | TACO TUESDAY | |
| 5 | 4 LEGS UP BBQ | |
| 6 | BUTT RUBBIN BBQ | |
| 7 | SQUAT AND GOBBLE BARBEQUE | |
| 8 | RHYTHM 'N QUE | |
| 9 | YOUR BEHIND BBQ | |
| 10 | KNIFE PORK AND SPOON | |
| 11 | FAIRLY ODD BBQ TEAM | |
| 12 | Ole E Fo Sho | |
| 13 | SMOKIN MO'S BBQ | |
| 14 | BADCAT'S BBQ TEAM | |
| 15 | SMOKED PERFECTION | |
| 16 | SIN CITY SMOKERS | |
| 17 | PIKE INTERNATIONAL GRILLERS & SMOKERS | |
| 18 | Infinite Smoke | |
| 19 | STOKED TO SMOKE | |
| 20 | The BBQ Asylum | |
| 21 | MONSOON BBQ | |
| 22 | MAR-B-QUE'S BBQ | |
| 23 | WILD HOGS BBQ | |
| 24 | VEGAS GRILLBILLIES | |
| 25 | ROLLIN SMOKE BARBEQUE | |
| 26 | The Smokin' B.A.R. | |
| 27 | THE BBQ NERDS | |
| 28 | Fox Smokehouse BBQ | |
| 29 | SATISFIED HOGS | |
| 30 | TRT BBQ | |
| 31 | JESSIE RAE'S BBQ | |
| 32 | BULLPEN BBQ TEAM | |
| 33 | BUTTS-N-RACKS | |
| 34 | NUTIN2IT BUT2QIT | |
| 35 | Boneyard BBQ | |
| 36 | TJ's BBQ |