A new contest record
687.4172
highest overall ever cooked here
687.4172 is the highest overall score this contest has ever produced — past the 672.5716 FIRED UP SMOKERS set in 2015.
- old record 672.5716
- set 2015 by FIRED UP SMOKERS
Chesapeake Jubilee BBQ Cook-Off 2018
May 18–19, 2018 · Chesapeake, VA
FRED VEGAS SMOKERS won Grand Champion at the Chesapeake Jubilee BBQ Cook-Off on May 18, 2018 in Chesapeake, VA, scoring 687.4172 in a field of 27 teams. SERIAL GRILLER took Reserve Grand Champion with 682.1936. Category winners: Chicken — 4:20 Q (178.8800); Pork Ribs — CHOCK FULL OF BARBEQUE (174.2972); Pork — SERIAL GRILLER (172.5484); Brisket — SMOKE-AHOLICS (175.4172). This is the 4th of 4 editions of this contest on record; the 2017 edition was won by 3N1 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.
565.07
median 642.67
687.42 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 178.88
- Pork Ribs 174.30
- Pork 172.55
- Brisket 175.42
104.46
178.88
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2013 to 2018 — this edition picked out.
Entries
27
4 judged meats
Top score
687.4172
Winning margin
5.2236
GC over RC
Field average
641.86
565.07687.42
median 642.67 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Pork
4.5484 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
661.6568
565.07687.42
10th place overall
Field spread
122.3432
winner to last place
Double threats
6
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 77%
beats 23% of 4714 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
56%
19 of 34 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.74 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,557
avg power rating going in · stronger than 44% of contests
Storylines (5 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.
Won without a category win
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
FRED VEGAS SMOKERS won the Grand Championship without winning a single meat — 4 calls from 4 boards, best of them 2nd. Consistency beat fireworks.
- Chicken 2nd
- Pork Ribs 2nd
- Pork 8th
- Brisket 3rd
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 9 calls decided inside half a point
Pork Ribs places 5–6: HAMTOWN SMOKERS and PIG JAM tied on 169.1200 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 1–2: SERIAL GRILLER and HICKORY PRIME tied on 172.5484 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Brisket places 9–10: HAMTOWN SMOKERS edged 3N1 Q by 0.0116.
- Pork Ribs 5–6 · tie
- Pork 1–2 · tie
- Brisket 9–10 · 0.0116
- Chicken 5–6 · 0.0116
A contest record in chicken
178.8800
best chicken ever cooked here
4:20 Q turned in 178.8800 in chicken — past the 177.1428 that had stood across 3 earlier editions.
- old best 177.1428
- across 3 past editions
Back to defend
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 17, 2013 | Chesapeake, VA | Chesapeake, VA | 34 | 655.4286 | 4:20 Q | SERIAL GRILLER |
| May 15, 2015 | Chesapeake, VA | Chesapeake, VA 23322 | 36 | 672.5716 | FIRED UP SMOKERS | SERIAL GRILLER |
| May 19, 2017 | Chesapeake, VA | Chesapeake City Park 900 City Park Dr | 34 | 665.0284 | 3N1 Q | WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ |
| May 18, 2018 ← this one | Chesapeake, VA | Chesapeake City Park 900 City Park Dr | 27 | 687.4172 | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS | SERIAL GRILLER |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 178.8800 | 170.8572 | 167.4056 |
| Pork Ribs | 174.2972 | 169.1200 | 165.1540 |
| Pork | 172.5484 | 168 | 163.4056 |
| Brisket | 175.4172 | 167.9772 | 166.8112 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
27 entries · top 687.4172 · median 642.6740
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS | |
| 2 | SERIAL GRILLER | |
| 3 | BURN BARREL BBQ | |
| 4 | HICKORY PRIME | |
| 5 | 4:20 Q | |
| 6 | 3N1 Q | |
| 7 | HAMTOWN SMOKERS | |
| 8 | SMOKE-AHOLICS | |
| 9 | PIG JAM | |
| 10 | GRATE SMOKE | |
| 11 | CHOCK FULL OF BARBEQUE | |
| 12 | TOP NOTCH BBQ | |
| 13 | CRAZY HORSE BBQ | |
| 14 | FIRE PIGS BBQ | |
| 15 | TENDERRUBBINS | |
| 16 | GREAT WHITE BBQ | |
| 17 | BIG DOG BBQ VA | |
| 18 | BUCKSHOT'S BBQ | |
| 19 | Q-THIS | |
| 20 | PIGS ON THE RUN | |
| 21 | PUFF PUFF PIG | |
| 22 | DIRTY POSSUM BBQ | |
| 23 | Smokey Brotes | |
| 24 | CAVEMAN BBQ | |
| 25 | Young Butz BBQ | |
| 26 | JW BARBECUE AND WINGS | |
| 27 | Riddhall BBQ |
Chicken
27 entries · top 178.8800 · median 165.1656
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4:20 Q | |
| 2 | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS | |
| 3 | 3N1 Q | |
| 4 | BURN BARREL BBQ | |
| 5 | GRATE SMOKE | |
| 6 | SMOKE-AHOLICS | |
| 7 | GREAT WHITE BBQ | |
| 8 | SERIAL GRILLER | |
| 9 | HICKORY PRIME | |
| 10 | PIG JAM | |
| 11 | HAMTOWN SMOKERS | |
| 12 | Q-THIS | |
| 13 | TENDERRUBBINS | |
| 14 | BUCKSHOT'S BBQ | |
| 15 | FIRE PIGS BBQ | |
| 16 | TOP NOTCH BBQ | |
| 17 | PIGS ON THE RUN | |
| 18 | CRAZY HORSE BBQ | |
| 19 | JW BARBECUE AND WINGS | |
| 20 | BIG DOG BBQ VA | |
| 21 | CHOCK FULL OF BARBEQUE | |
| 22 | DIRTY POSSUM BBQ | |
| 23 | PUFF PUFF PIG | |
| 24 | CAVEMAN BBQ | |
| 25 | Young Butz BBQ | |
| 26 | Smokey Brotes | |
| 27 | Riddhall BBQ |
Pork Ribs
27 entries · top 174.2972 · median 164.5256
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CHOCK FULL OF BARBEQUE | |
| 2 | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS | |
| 3 | HICKORY PRIME | |
| 4 | SERIAL GRILLER | |
| 5 | HAMTOWN SMOKERS | |
| 6 | PIG JAM | |
| 7 | PUFF PUFF PIG | |
| 8 | 3N1 Q | |
| 9 | TOP NOTCH BBQ | |
| 10 | GRATE SMOKE | |
| 11 | CRAZY HORSE BBQ | |
| 12 | PIGS ON THE RUN | |
| 13 | CAVEMAN BBQ | |
| 14 | BURN BARREL BBQ | |
| 15 | JW BARBECUE AND WINGS | |
| 16 | 4:20 Q | |
| 17 | BUCKSHOT'S BBQ | |
| 18 | SMOKE-AHOLICS | |
| 19 | FIRE PIGS BBQ | |
| 20 | BIG DOG BBQ VA | |
| 21 | GREAT WHITE BBQ | |
| 22 | TENDERRUBBINS | |
| 23 | DIRTY POSSUM BBQ | |
| 24 | Smokey Brotes | |
| 25 | Riddhall BBQ | |
| 26 | Q-THIS | |
| 27 | Young Butz BBQ |
Pork
27 entries · top 172.5484 · median 160.0116
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SERIAL GRILLER | |
| 2 | HICKORY PRIME | |
| 3 | BURN BARREL BBQ | |
| 4 | HAMTOWN SMOKERS | |
| 5 | DIRTY POSSUM BBQ | |
| 6 | 4:20 Q | |
| 7 | PIG JAM | |
| 8 | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS | |
| 9 | CHOCK FULL OF BARBEQUE | |
| 10 | 3N1 Q | |
| 11 | TENDERRUBBINS | |
| 12 | Smokey Brotes | |
| 13 | TOP NOTCH BBQ | |
| 14 | PIGS ON THE RUN | |
| 15 | GREAT WHITE BBQ | |
| 16 | SMOKE-AHOLICS | |
| 17 | BUCKSHOT'S BBQ | |
| 18 | GRATE SMOKE | |
| 19 | PUFF PUFF PIG | |
| 20 | CRAZY HORSE BBQ | |
| 21 | FIRE PIGS BBQ | |
| 22 | BIG DOG BBQ VA | |
| 23 | CAVEMAN BBQ | |
| 24 | JW BARBECUE AND WINGS | |
| 25 | Q-THIS | |
| 26 | Riddhall BBQ | |
| 27 | Young Butz BBQ |
Brisket
27 entries · top 175.4172 · median 162.2284
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SMOKE-AHOLICS | |
| 2 | BURN BARREL BBQ | |
| 3 | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS | |
| 4 | SERIAL GRILLER | |
| 5 | GRATE SMOKE | |
| 6 | Q-THIS | |
| 7 | 4:20 Q | |
| 8 | HICKORY PRIME | |
| 9 | HAMTOWN SMOKERS | |
| 10 | 3N1 Q | |
| 11 | Young Butz BBQ | |
| 12 | BIG DOG BBQ VA | |
| 13 | FIRE PIGS BBQ | |
| 14 | CRAZY HORSE BBQ | |
| 15 | PIG JAM | |
| 16 | CHOCK FULL OF BARBEQUE | |
| 17 | TENDERRUBBINS | |
| 18 | TOP NOTCH BBQ | |
| 19 | GREAT WHITE BBQ | |
| 20 | PUFF PUFF PIG | |
| 21 | BUCKSHOT'S BBQ | |
| 22 | Smokey Brotes | |
| 23 | PIGS ON THE RUN | |
| 24 | Riddhall BBQ | |
| 25 | DIRTY POSSUM BBQ | |
| 26 | CAVEMAN BBQ | |
| 27 | JW BARBECUE AND WINGS |