A statement win
12.5828
points clear of the field
Wider than 93% of the 4,710 championships in the data
The champion won by 12.5828 points — a wider margin than 93% of championships in the data.
2nd Annual Halfway to St.Pats BBQ Contest
Aug 25–26, 2018 · Emmetsburg, IA · 📍 2101 Madison
TRUE SMOKE BBQ won Grand Champion at the 2nd Annual Halfway to St.Pats BBQ Contest on August 25, 2018 in Emmetsburg, IA at 2101 Madison, scoring 679.9428 in a field of 8 teams. C R BUTTS SMOKE took Reserve Grand Champion with 667.3600. Category winners: Chicken — MASTERTECH BBQ (172.5600); Pork Ribs — TRUE SMOKE BBQ (173.1544); Pork — GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS (173.1428); Brisket — Luscious Loins BBQ (172.5600).
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.
602.18
median 664.53
679.94 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 172.56
- Pork Ribs 173.15
- Pork 173.14
- Brisket 172.56
141.09
173.15
Entries
8
4 judged meats
Top score
679.9428
Winning margin
12.5828
GC over RC
Field average
651.08
602.18679.94
median 664.53 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Chicken
7.4056 pts across the top 5
Field spread
77.7596
winner to last place
Double threats
6
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 89%
beats 11% of 4711 Master Series wins in the data
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.95 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,557
avg power rating going in
Storylines (3 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
0.0228
decided the closest call
Pork places 6–7: HOG'S BREATH BBQ edged Luscious Loins BBQ by 0.0228.
- Pork 6–7 · 0.0228
How the title was won
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
TRUE SMOKE BBQ took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was pork at 3rd.
- Chicken 2nd
- Pork Ribs 1st
- Pork 3rd
- Brisket 3rd
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)
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 172.5600 | 165.1544 | — |
| Pork Ribs | 173.1544 | 163.9888 | — |
| Pork | 173.1428 | 163.9656 | — |
| Brisket | 172.5600 | 163.9772 | — |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
8 entries · top 679.9428 · median 664.5316
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | TRUE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 2 | C R BUTTS SMOKE | |
| 3 | GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS | |
| 4 | Luscious Loins BBQ | |
| 5 | MASTERTECH BBQ | |
| 6 | SCORCHED DECK BBQ | |
| 7 | ROLLIN' COAL BBQ | |
| 8 | HOG'S BREATH BBQ |
Chicken
8 entries · top 172.5600 · median 165.4286
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MASTERTECH BBQ | |
| 2 | TRUE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 3 | C R BUTTS SMOKE | |
| 4 | Luscious Loins BBQ | |
| 5 | GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS | |
| 6 | HOG'S BREATH BBQ | |
| 7 | ROLLIN' COAL BBQ | |
| 8 | SCORCHED DECK BBQ |
Pork Ribs
8 entries · top 173.1544 · median 164.2744
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | TRUE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 2 | C R BUTTS SMOKE | |
| 3 | MASTERTECH BBQ | |
| 4 | Luscious Loins BBQ | |
| 5 | GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS | |
| 6 | SCORCHED DECK BBQ | |
| 7 | ROLLIN' COAL BBQ | |
| 8 | HOG'S BREATH BBQ |
Pork
8 entries · top 173.1428 · median 165.4114
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS | |
| 2 | SCORCHED DECK BBQ | |
| 3 | TRUE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 4 | MASTERTECH BBQ | |
| 5 | C R BUTTS SMOKE | |
| 6 | HOG'S BREATH BBQ | |
| 7 | Luscious Loins BBQ | |
| 8 | ROLLIN' COAL BBQ |
Brisket
8 entries · top 172.5600 · median 164.8400
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Luscious Loins BBQ | |
| 2 | SCORCHED DECK BBQ | |
| 3 | TRUE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 4 | C R BUTTS SMOKE | |
| 5 | GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS | |
| 6 | MASTERTECH BBQ | |
| 7 | ROLLIN' COAL BBQ | |
| 8 | HOG'S BREATH BBQ |