A statement win
19.4056
points clear of the field
Wider than 99% of the 4,714 championships in the data
The champion won by 19.4056 points — a wider margin than 99% of championships in the data.
BBQ in The Valley 2018
May 4–5, 2018 · Jamestown, NY · 📍 299 Kiantone RD
SHORTSVILLE SMOKERS won Grand Champion at the BBQ in The Valley on May 4, 2018 in Jamestown, NY at 299 Kiantone RD, scoring 689.7368 in a field of 25 teams. PRIORVILLE BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 670.3312. Category winners: Chicken — SHORTSVILLE SMOKERS (177.1428); Pork Ribs — TRANQUIL CARNIVORES (170.2972); Pork — GOOD SMOKE BBQ (173.7028); Brisket — PRIORVILLE BBQ (174.8572). This is the 2nd of 2 editions of this contest on record; the 2017 edition was won by LO' -N- SLO' 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.
599.34
median 645.03
689.74 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 177.14
- Pork Ribs 170.30
- Pork 173.70
- Brisket 174.86
134.24
177.14
Entries
25
4 judged meats
Top score
689.7368
Winning margin
19.4056
GC over RC
Field average
643.72
599.34689.74
median 645.03 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Pork Ribs
2.8456 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
647.9088
599.34689.74
10th place overall
Field spread
90.3996
winner to last place
Double threats
4
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 71%
beats 29% of 4715 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
69%
18 of 26 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Moderate
ρ = -0.47 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,567
avg power rating going in · stronger than 52% 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 10 calls decided inside half a point
Pork Ribs places 3–4: LET YOUR MEAT SHINE THROUGH BAR-B-QUE and BLACK HART BBQ tied on 169.7372 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 1–2: TRANQUIL CARNIVORES edged SHORTSVILLE SMOKERS by 0.0116. Brisket places 3–4: SHORTSVILLE SMOKERS edged LET YOUR MEAT SHINE THROUGH BAR-B-QUE by 0.0228.
- Pork Ribs 3–4 · tie
- Pork Ribs 1–2 · 0.0116
- Brisket 3–4 · 0.0228
- Chicken 7–8 · 0.0344
How the title was won
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
SHORTSVILLE SMOKERS took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was brisket at 3rd.
- Chicken 1st
- Pork Ribs 2nd
- Pork 2nd
- Brisket 3rd
A contest record in chicken
177.1428
best chicken ever cooked here
SHORTSVILLE SMOKERS turned in 177.1428 in chicken — past the 176.0000 that had stood across 1 earlier editions.
- old best 176.0000
- across 1 past editions
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 5, 2017 | Jamestown, NY | 299 Kiantone RD | 26 | 695.4288 | LO' -N- SLO' BBQ | SHORTSVILLE SMOKERS |
| May 4, 2018 ← this one | Jamestown, NY | 299 Kiantone RD | 25 | 689.7368 | SHORTSVILLE SMOKERS | PRIORVILLE BBQ |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 177.1428 | 169.1544 | 162.8000 |
| Pork Ribs | 170.2972 | 167.4516 | 163.4516 |
| Pork | 173.7028 | 168.5600 | 162.3428 |
| Brisket | 174.8572 | 168.0800 | 165.0972 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
25 entries · top 689.7368 · median 645.0284
Chicken
25 entries · top 177.1428 · median 161.1428
Pork Ribs
25 entries · top 170.2972 · median 161.1544
Pork
25 entries · top 173.7028 · median 161.6800
Brisket
25 entries · top 174.8572 · median 162.8344