May 25–26, 2018 · Boulder City, NV
SQUAT AND GOBBLE BARBEQUE won Grand Champion at the Best Dam Barbeque on May 25, 2018 in Boulder City, NV, scoring 693.1316 in a field of 30 teams. BIG POPPA SMOKERS took Reserve Grand Champion with 691.9656. Category winners: Chicken — ALL ABOUT SMOKIN Q (180.0000); Pork Ribs — BIG POPPA SMOKERS (178.2972); Pork — NUTIN2IT BUT2QIT (176.5828); Brisket — BAD BOYZ BBQ (177.7028). This is the 1st of 4 editions of this contest on record; the next was held in 2022.
Overall totals, every team on the board — tall stacks are where the pack sat.
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
What it has taken to win here, 2018 to 2024 — this edition picked out.
Everything below is read straight out of the results — the number on each card is the one that made it a story.
Closer than 79% of the 4,710 championships in the data
The Grand Championship was decided by 1.1660 points — closer than 79% of every championship in the data.
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 94 times in 100
SQUAT AND GOBBLE BARBEQUE came in rated below the field's top team, BIG POPPA SMOKERS, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 6-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
SQUAT AND GOBBLE BARBEQUE won the Grand Championship without winning a single meat — 4 calls from 4 boards, best of them 2nd. Consistency beat fireworks.
This was SQUAT AND GOBBLE BARBEQUE's first Grand Championship in the data — it arrived at their 24th tracked contest.
Pork places 9–10: SQUAT AND GOBBLE BARBEQUE and INFINITE SMOKE BBQ tied on 171.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 7–8: BURNIN AND LOOTIN edged SMOKIN IT UP BBQ by 0.0116. Pork Ribs places 3–4: YOUR BEHIND BBQ edged ALL UP IN MY GRILL by 0.0116.
1 perfect 180 was scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 25, 2018 ← this one | Boulder City, NV | Boulder City, NV 89005 | 30 | 693.1316 | SQUAT AND GOBBLE BARBEQUE | BIG POPPA SMOKERS |
| May 27, 2022 | Boulder City, NV | 999 Colorado Street | 26 | 698.2516 | Girls Can Grill | LOOT N' BOOTY BBQ |
| May 26, 2023 | Boulder City, NV | Boulder City, NV 89005 | 27 | 711.4056 | Stevo's BBQ | Rhythm n QUE |
| May 24, 2024 | Boulder City, NV | Boulder City, NV 89005 | 33 | 695.3600 | Porterhouse BBQ | BURNIN AND LOOTIN |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 180 | 171.9772 | 169.6800 |
| Pork Ribs | 178.2972 | 174.2744 | 170.2972 |
| Pork | 176.5828 | 173.7028 | 171.4172 |
| Brisket | 177.7028 | 171.9656 | 168.5256 |
30 entries · top 693.1316 · median 664.6970
30 entries · top 180 · median 168.2514 · 🔥 perfect 180
30 entries · top 178.2972 · median 165.9600
30 entries · top 176.5828 · median 167.1142
30 entries · top 177.7028 · median 165.6686