A statement win
10.2972
points clear of the field
Wider than 88% of the 4,710 championships in the data
The champion won by 10.2972 points — a wider margin than 88% of championships in the data.
Up In smoke on the Square ( WAIT LIST ONLY FOR JUDGES) 2018
Jun 1–2, 2018 · Lincoln, IL · 📍 Kilkapool/Plilaski
THE REAL SMOKIN ACES won Grand Champion at the Up In smoke on the Square ( WAIT LIST ONLY FOR JUDGES) on June 1, 2018 in Lincoln, IL at Kilkapool/Plilaski, scoring 687.3600 in a field of 40 teams. iBQ'n took Reserve Grand Champion with 677.0628. Category winners: Chicken — AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW (176.5828); Pork Ribs — TWISTED SMOKE ADC (173.1200); Pork — iBQ'n (176.0000); Brisket — THE REAL SMOKIN ACES (174.8572). This is the 6th of 12 editions of this contest on record; the 2017 edition was won by IT'S 5 O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE; the next was held in 2019.
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.
577.04
median 643.59
687.36 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 176.58
- Pork Ribs 173.12
- Pork 176
- Brisket 174.86
131.98
176.58
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2013 to 2019 — this edition picked out.
Entries
40
4 judged meats · 6 ancillary
Top score
687.3600
Winning margin
10.2972
GC over RC
Field average
640.89
577.04687.36
median 643.59 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Pork Ribs
4 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
656.4456
577.04687.36
10th place overall
Field spread
110.3200
winner to last place
Double threats
3
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 78%
beats 22% of 4711 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
72%
23 of 32 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.6 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,589
avg power rating going in · stronger than 71% 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.
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 14 calls decided inside half a point
Chicken places 2–3: MEATMAN'S SMOKIN BBQ and SMOKE FREAKS tied on 175.4056 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 4–5: SMOKY LINCS and THE REAL SMOKIN ACES tied on 172.0000 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 6–7: TWISTED SMOKE ADC and JUGS BBQ tied on 171.9772 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Chicken 2–3 · tie
- Chicken 4–5 · tie
- Chicken 6–7 · tie
- Pork Ribs 9–10 · tie
How the title was won
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
THE REAL SMOKIN ACES took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was chicken at 5th.
- Chicken 5th
- Pork Ribs 2nd
- Pork 4th
- Brisket 1st
Back to defend
3
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: MONSTER-QUE (won 2014), OUTSIDERS BBQ (won 2016), IT'S 5 O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE (won 2017).
- MONSTER-QUE · 2014
- OUTSIDERS BBQ · 2016
- IT'S 5 O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE · 2017
They keep coming back
72%
of last edition’s field returned
23 of 32 teams from 2017-06-02 came back
23 of the 32 teams that cooked the previous edition came back for this one — a contest people put on the calendar.
This contest's own records (1 in the KCBS record book)
Records held by every edition of this contest put together, not just this one afternoon.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 23, 2013 | Lincoln, IL | Lincoln, IL | 46 | 689.6916 | A BOY & HIS BBQ | Twyford's BBQ & Catering |
| Aug 22, 2014 | Lincoln, IL | Lincoln, IL 62656 | 50 | 699.4400 | MONSTER-QUE | IT'S 5 O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE |
| Jun 5, 2015 | Lincoln, IL | Lincoln, IL 62656 | 40 | 689.0740 | ST. LOUIS BLACK IRON BBQ | THE CHILLY WATER SMOKERS |
| Jun 3, 2016 | Lincoln, IL | Lincoln , IL 62656 | 52 | 685.6800 | OUTSIDERS BBQ | TRUCKY'S TRUE BLU BBQ'UE |
| Jun 2, 2017 | Lincoln, IL | Kilkapool/Plilaski | 32 | 695.8968 | IT'S 5 O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE | PORK PARADISE |
| Jun 1, 2018 ← this one | Lincoln, IL | Kilkapool/Plilaski | 40 | 687.3600 | SMOKIN ACES@THEBBQSUPERSTORE.COM | iBQ'n |
| May 31, 2019 | Lincoln, IL | Lincoln, IL 62656 | 36 | 682.8576 | The BBQ Bus | iBQ'n |
| Jun 4, 2021 | Lincoln, IL | — | — | — | — | — |
| Aug 25, 2023 | Lincoln, IL | 601 Pulaski Street | 26 | 346.8344 | 309 BBQ | — |
| Aug 23, 2024 | Lincoln, IL | 601 Pulaski Street | 28 | 350.8688 | Up From The Pits BBQ | — |
| Aug 22, 2025 | Lincoln, IL | 601 Pulaski Street | 31 | 357.7144 | Electro-Que-ted | — |
| Aug 28, 2026 | Lincoln, IL | 601 Pulaski Street | 16 | 349.6916 | Smokin E's BBQ | — |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 176.5828 | 172 | 169.1316 |
| Pork Ribs | 173.1200 | 169.1200 | 166.2744 |
| Pork | 176 | 168 | 163.3828 |
| Brisket | 174.8572 | 169.1428 | 165.6800 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
40 entries · top 687.3600 · median 643.5886
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | THE REAL SMOKIN ACES | |
| 2 | iBQ'n | |
| 3 | TWISTED SMOKE ADC | |
| 4 | OUTSIDERS BBQ | |
| 5 | AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW | |
| 6 | JUGS BBQ | |
| 7 | MEATMAN'S SMOKIN BBQ | |
| 8 | SCUFFLETOWN SMOKERS | |
| 9 | THE CHILLY WATER SMOKERS | |
| 10 | SMOKE FREAKS | |
| 11 | PORK PARADISE | |
| 12 | IT'S 5 O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE | |
| 13 | THE BBQ BUS | |
| 14 | Littles BBQ Co | |
| 15 | BLUE ISLAND BBQ CO. | |
| 16 | SMOKY LINCS | |
| 17 | AWW HELL | |
| 18 | MONSTER-QUE | |
| 19 | CARROL LOU'S SMOKEHOUSE | |
| 20 | TIM'S FULL BELLI DELI | |
| 21 | PLOWBOYZ BBQ | |
| 22 | NUTTHIN BUT PORK | |
| 23 | Rub Runners | |
| 24 | RUSTY PIG BBQ | |
| 25 | BONEHEAD BBQ | |
| 26 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 27 | MONSTERS OF THE RIBWAY | |
| 28 | GET SAUCED BBQ | |
| 29 | QUAU | |
| 30 | SMOKEY'S Q | |
| 31 | CLUCK , OINK & MOO BARBECUE | |
| 32 | PAPA'S BARBQ | |
| 33 | SWEET ANNI'S BAR B QUE | |
| 34 | CHANNABILLY BBQ | |
| 35 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 36 | FIDDLIN' FATBACK | |
| 37 | LOADED-N-ROLLIN BBQ | |
| 38 | DANDDY BBQ | |
| 39 | SAUCED N SMOKED | |
| 40 | OLD TYME BBQ |
Chicken
40 entries · top 176.5828 · median 162.8056
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW | |
| 2 | MEATMAN'S SMOKIN BBQ | |
| 3 | SMOKE FREAKS | |
| 4 | SMOKY LINCS | |
| 5 | THE REAL SMOKIN ACES | |
| 6 | TWISTED SMOKE ADC | |
| 7 | JUGS BBQ | |
| 8 | AWW HELL | |
| 9 | THE CHILLY WATER SMOKERS | |
| 10 | IT'S 5 O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE | |
| 11 | iBQ'n | |
| 12 | LOADED-N-ROLLIN BBQ | |
| 13 | NUTTHIN BUT PORK | |
| 14 | CLUCK , OINK & MOO BARBECUE | |
| 15 | TIM'S FULL BELLI DELI | |
| 16 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 17 | SCUFFLETOWN SMOKERS | |
| 18 | QUAU | |
| 19 | OUTSIDERS BBQ | |
| 20 | FIDDLIN' FATBACK | |
| 21 | THE BBQ BUS | |
| 22 | PORK PARADISE | |
| 23 | Littles BBQ Co | |
| 24 | BLUE ISLAND BBQ CO. | |
| 25 | SAUCED N SMOKED | |
| 26 | PLOWBOYZ BBQ | |
| 27 | BONEHEAD BBQ | |
| 28 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 29 | Rub Runners | |
| 30 | RUSTY PIG BBQ | |
| 31 | MONSTERS OF THE RIBWAY | |
| 32 | SWEET ANNI'S BAR B QUE | |
| 33 | CHANNABILLY BBQ | |
| 34 | MONSTER-QUE | |
| 35 | OLD TYME BBQ | |
| 36 | GET SAUCED BBQ | |
| 37 | SMOKEY'S Q | |
| 38 | DANDDY BBQ | |
| 39 | CARROL LOU'S SMOKEHOUSE | |
| 40 | PAPA'S BARBQ |
Pork Ribs
40 entries · top 173.1200 · median 160.5544
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | TWISTED SMOKE ADC | |
| 2 | THE REAL SMOKIN ACES | |
| 3 | SMOKE FREAKS | |
| 4 | AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW | |
| 5 | NUTTHIN BUT PORK | |
| 6 | MONSTER-QUE | |
| 7 | OUTSIDERS BBQ | |
| 8 | RUSTY PIG BBQ | |
| 9 | JUGS BBQ | |
| 10 | iBQ'n | |
| 11 | BONEHEAD BBQ | |
| 12 | Littles BBQ Co | |
| 13 | MEATMAN'S SMOKIN BBQ | |
| 14 | PORK PARADISE | |
| 15 | PLOWBOYZ BBQ | |
| 16 | TIM'S FULL BELLI DELI | |
| 17 | SCUFFLETOWN SMOKERS | |
| 18 | SMOKEY'S Q | |
| 19 | FIDDLIN' FATBACK | |
| 20 | CARROL LOU'S SMOKEHOUSE | |
| 21 | AWW HELL | |
| 22 | THE CHILLY WATER SMOKERS | |
| 23 | BLUE ISLAND BBQ CO. | |
| 24 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 25 | THE BBQ BUS | |
| 26 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 27 | CHANNABILLY BBQ | |
| 28 | GET SAUCED BBQ | |
| 29 | IT'S 5 O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE | |
| 30 | MONSTERS OF THE RIBWAY | |
| 31 | PAPA'S BARBQ | |
| 32 | Rub Runners | |
| 33 | SWEET ANNI'S BAR B QUE | |
| 34 | CLUCK , OINK & MOO BARBECUE | |
| 35 | SAUCED N SMOKED | |
| 36 | QUAU | |
| 37 | SMOKY LINCS | |
| 38 | DANDDY BBQ | |
| 39 | LOADED-N-ROLLIN BBQ | |
| 40 | OLD TYME BBQ |
Pork
40 entries · top 176 · median 159.9772
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | iBQ'n | |
| 2 | CARROL LOU'S SMOKEHOUSE | |
| 3 | Littles BBQ Co | |
| 4 | THE REAL SMOKIN ACES | |
| 5 | Rub Runners | |
| 6 | AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW | |
| 7 | AWW HELL | |
| 8 | MONSTERS OF THE RIBWAY | |
| 9 | THE BBQ BUS | |
| 10 | SMOKY LINCS | |
| 11 | GET SAUCED BBQ | |
| 12 | THE CHILLY WATER SMOKERS | |
| 13 | MEATMAN'S SMOKIN BBQ | |
| 14 | OUTSIDERS BBQ | |
| 15 | RUSTY PIG BBQ | |
| 16 | TWISTED SMOKE ADC | |
| 17 | CLUCK , OINK & MOO BARBECUE | |
| 18 | IT'S 5 O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE | |
| 19 | JUGS BBQ | |
| 20 | PORK PARADISE | |
| 21 | BLUE ISLAND BBQ CO. | |
| 22 | SCUFFLETOWN SMOKERS | |
| 23 | PLOWBOYZ BBQ | |
| 24 | CHANNABILLY BBQ | |
| 25 | SMOKEY'S Q | |
| 26 | QUAU | |
| 27 | MONSTER-QUE | |
| 28 | PAPA'S BARBQ | |
| 29 | SWEET ANNI'S BAR B QUE | |
| 30 | TIM'S FULL BELLI DELI | |
| 31 | DANDDY BBQ | |
| 32 | SAUCED N SMOKED | |
| 33 | NUTTHIN BUT PORK | |
| 34 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 35 | BONEHEAD BBQ | |
| 36 | FIDDLIN' FATBACK | |
| 37 | LOADED-N-ROLLIN BBQ | |
| 38 | SMOKE FREAKS | |
| 39 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 40 | OLD TYME BBQ |
Brisket
40 entries · top 174.8572 · median 159.4114
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | THE REAL SMOKIN ACES | |
| 2 | PORK PARADISE | |
| 3 | OUTSIDERS BBQ | |
| 4 | SCUFFLETOWN SMOKERS | |
| 5 | IT'S 5 O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE | |
| 6 | THE BBQ BUS | |
| 7 | BLUE ISLAND BBQ CO. | |
| 8 | iBQ'n | |
| 9 | PAPA'S BARBQ | |
| 10 | SMOKY LINCS | |
| 11 | CARROL LOU'S SMOKEHOUSE | |
| 12 | MONSTER-QUE | |
| 13 | JUGS BBQ | |
| 14 | THE CHILLY WATER SMOKERS | |
| 15 | PLOWBOYZ BBQ | |
| 16 | TIM'S FULL BELLI DELI | |
| 17 | GET SAUCED BBQ | |
| 18 | Rub Runners | |
| 19 | BONEHEAD BBQ | |
| 20 | SMOKE FREAKS | |
| 21 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 22 | MONSTERS OF THE RIBWAY | |
| 23 | SWEET ANNI'S BAR B QUE | |
| 24 | TWISTED SMOKE ADC | |
| 25 | SMOKEY'S Q | |
| 26 | QUAU | |
| 27 | MEATMAN'S SMOKIN BBQ | |
| 28 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 29 | Littles BBQ Co | |
| 30 | DANDDY BBQ | |
| 31 | NUTTHIN BUT PORK | |
| 32 | RUSTY PIG BBQ | |
| 33 | CHANNABILLY BBQ | |
| 34 | AWW HELL | |
| 35 | AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW | |
| 36 | CLUCK , OINK & MOO BARBECUE | |
| 37 | OLD TYME BBQ | |
| 38 | LOADED-N-ROLLIN BBQ | |
| 39 | FIDDLIN' FATBACK | |
| 40 | SAUCED N SMOKED |
Ancillary categories
Run by the organizers alongside the sanctioned contest. These are judged on their own terms and do not count toward the overall score, so they're kept out of the meat stats above.
Master Series — Backyard
18 entries · top 327.3372 · median 303.2914
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Firehouse 51 | |
| 2 | Uncle Matt's Half Sauced | |
| 3 | SMOKE, FIRE & BREW | |
| 4 | Smoke Em if Ya Got Em | |
| 5 | Sugar Creek BBQ | |
| 6 | Dead End BBQ | |
| 7 | Smokin' Walders | |
| 8 | 12-24 BBQ | |
| 9 | Smoke N' Tunes | |
| 10 | 9-11 Q | |
| 11 | EF-Q | |
| 12 | Basso Brothers | |
| 13 | Wood & Steel | |
| 14 | Doc's Rib Shack | |
| 15 | TNT BBQ | |
| 16 | On Point BBQ Pit | |
| 17 | Double D's Barbeque | |
| 18 | PORKY JOE'S BBQ |
Master Series — Backyard Chicken
18 entries · top 170.2628 · median 151.1028
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Uncle Matt's Half Sauced | |
| 2 | Firehouse 51 | |
| 3 | Sugar Creek BBQ | |
| 4 | Smoke Em if Ya Got Em | |
| 5 | Basso Brothers | |
| 6 | SMOKE, FIRE & BREW | |
| 7 | Smokin' Walders | |
| 8 | Dead End BBQ | |
| 9 | Wood & Steel | |
| 10 | Smoke N' Tunes | |
| 11 | 12-24 BBQ | |
| 12 | TNT BBQ | |
| 13 | Doc's Rib Shack | |
| 14 | 9-11 Q | |
| 15 | On Point BBQ Pit | |
| 16 | EF-Q | |
| 17 | Double D's Barbeque | |
| 18 | PORKY JOE'S BBQ |
Master Series — Backyard Ribs
18 entries · top 165.0856 · median 152.5030
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SMOKE, FIRE & BREW | |
| 2 | Firehouse 51 | |
| 3 | Dead End BBQ | |
| 4 | EF-Q | |
| 5 | Uncle Matt's Half Sauced | |
| 6 | Smoke Em if Ya Got Em | |
| 7 | 9-11 Q | |
| 8 | 12-24 BBQ | |
| 9 | Smoke N' Tunes | |
| 10 | Smokin' Walders | |
| 11 | Sugar Creek BBQ | |
| 12 | Doc's Rib Shack | |
| 13 | On Point BBQ Pit | |
| 14 | Wood & Steel | |
| 15 | TNT BBQ | |
| 16 | Basso Brothers | |
| 17 | Double D's Barbeque | |
| 18 | PORKY JOE'S BBQ |
Master Series — Kids Que 10 & Under
5 entries · top 169.1772 · median 160.5828
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | GRILLS GONE WILD | |
| 2 | Thing 1 and Thing 2 BBQ | |
| 3 | Little Nuthatch Hill | |
| 4 | Team Vanos | |
| 5 | Barbie Q |
Master Series — Kids Que 11-15
6 entries · top 172 · median 162.2742
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boy Scout BBQ | |
| 2 | Mad Money BBQ | |
| 3 | That one brown kid | |
| 4 | Hail to the Beef | |
| 5 | D D Junior | |
| 6 | Dalpapas |
Master Series — Steak
30 entries · top 172.5828 · median 160.8286
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | TIM'S FULL BELLI DELI | |
| 2 | SAUCED N SMOKED | |
| 3 | Dead End BBQ | |
| 4 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 5 | Rub Runners | |
| 6 | DANDDY BBQ | |
| 7 | Deegan @ Guzzardo's | |
| 8 | Uncle Matt's Half Sauced | |
| 9 | SWEET ANNI'S BAR B QUE | |
| 10 | SMOKEY'S Q | |
| 11 | IT'S 5 O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE | |
| 12 | iBQ'n | |
| 13 | DOUBLE D'S BBQ | |
| 14 | PORK PARADISE | |
| 15 | JUGS BBQ | |
| 16 | Basso Brothers | |
| 17 | PAPA'S BARBQ | |
| 18 | Great Grill Marks | |
| 19 | Littles BBQ Co | |
| 20 | NUTTHIN BUT PORK | |
| 21 | CHANNABILLY BBQ | |
| 22 | Backdraft BBQ Crew | |
| 23 | BLUE ISLAND BBQ CO. | |
| 24 | GET SAUCED BBQ | |
| 25 | AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW | |
| 26 | QUAU | |
| 27 | Doc's Rib Shack | |
| 28 | OLD TYME BBQ | |
| 29 | CARROL LOU'S SMOKEHOUSE | |
| 30 | LOADED-N-ROLLIN BBQ |