A razor-thin finish
1.0624
points between champion and reserve
Closer than 85% of the 4,710 championships in the data
The Grand Championship was decided by 1.0624 points — closer than 85% of every championship in the data.
- Lady of Q
- 2LiveQ
The Golden State Battle
Jan 25–26, 2019 · Santa Ynez, CA · 📍 Cachuma Lake · State championship
Prize money: $10,000
LADY OF Q won Grand Champion at The Golden State Battle on January 25, 2019 in Santa Ynez, CA at Cachuma Lake, scoring 693.5996 in a field of 48 teams. 2LiveQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 692.5372. Category winners: Chicken — TWISTED BRISKET BBQ (177.1544); Pork Ribs — SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ (177.7372); Pork — 2LiveQ (180.0000); Brisket — OLD TOWN FRANKLIN BBQ (176.5600).
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.
624.49
median 664.18
693.60 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 177.15
- Pork Ribs 177.74
- Pork 180 🔥
- Brisket 176.56
135.93
180
Entries
48
4 judged meats · 3 ancillary
Top score
693.5996
Winning margin
1.0624
GC over RC
Field average
664.59
624.49693.60
median 664.18 · last place to winner
Tightest race
Chicken
2.3088 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
682.2972
624.49693.60
10th place overall
Field spread
69.1080
winner to last place
Prize money
$10,000
on the line
Double threats
3
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 60%
beats 40% of 4711 Master Series wins in the data
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.64 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,602
avg power rating going in · stronger than 79% of contests
Storylines (6 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.
An upset on the books
28-in-100
shot on pre-contest ratings
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 72 times in 100
LADY OF Q came in rated below the field's top team, BIG POPPA SMOKERS, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 28-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
- champion 1822
- top seed 1987
Won without a category win
3 of 4
meats called to the stage
LADY OF Q won the Grand Championship without winning a single meat — 3 calls from 4 boards, best of them 3rd. Consistency beat fireworks.
- Chicken 9th
- Pork Ribs 7th
- Pork 3rd
- Brisket 15th
A knife fight at the top
4.5024
points across the top five
First to fifth in the overall standings covered just 4.5024 points.
- 1st LADY OF Q
- 2nd 2LiveQ
- 3rd BIG POPPA SMOKERS
- 4th SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ
- 5th TOOT & STINKY'S CALI-Q
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 13 calls decided inside half a point
Chicken places 7–8: RIDGE ROUTE BOYS BBQ and SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ tied on 173.1428 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 9–10: LADY OF Q and NUTIN2IT BUT2QIT tied on 173.1084 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 5–6: Smokey and the Pirate and 2LiveQ tied on 173.1544 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Chicken 7–8 · tie
- Chicken 9–10 · tie
- Pork Ribs 5–6 · tie
- Pork 6–7 · tie
A perfect score on the table
1
perfect 180s
1 perfect 180 was scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
- 2LiveQ · Pork
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 | 177.1544 | 174.8456 | 173.1084 |
| Pork Ribs | 177.7372 | 173.1544 | 172 |
| Pork | 180 | 176.5600 | 174.2628 |
| Brisket | 176.5600 | 172.5944 | 170.8112 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
48 entries · top 693.5996 · median 664.1770
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LADY OF Q | |
| 2 | 2LiveQ | |
| 3 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 4 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | |
| 5 | TOOT & STINKY'S CALI-Q | |
| 6 | RIDGE ROUTE BOYS BBQ | |
| 7 | BURNIN AND LOOTIN | |
| 8 | Sharpe's Woodshed | |
| 9 | NOTHING COMPARES 2 Q | |
| 10 | The BBQ Yard | |
| 11 | OLD TOWN FRANKLIN BBQ | |
| 12 | RAD FONDO BBQ | |
| 13 | ROYAL SMOKIN' HOT | |
| 14 | Smokey and the Pirate | |
| 15 | MUDVILLE BBQ | |
| 16 | SMOKERS PURGATORY | |
| 17 | PART TIME BBQ | |
| 18 | BAR-B-Q'S-2GO | |
| 19 | SMOKED SEDUCTION | |
| 20 | CYNICAL BBQ | |
| 21 | 7-8-9 BBQ | |
| 22 | B' MACKIN BBQ | |
| 23 | JET COATINGS - MONKEY STYLE | |
| 24 | Team Woodshed | |
| 25 | NUTIN2IT BUT2QIT | |
| 26 | WEST COAST SMOKE | |
| 27 | Smokin' Degenerates | |
| 28 | TWISTED BRISKET BBQ | |
| 29 | Smokeshow | |
| 30 | CHOWTOWN SMOKERS CALI | |
| 31 | CHUBBY AND TUBBY'S | |
| 32 | PIRATES OF THE PIG | |
| 33 | SMOKIN IT UP BBQ | |
| 34 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 35 | THE RIB DOCTOR LLC | |
| 36 | ROOSTER'S DOUBLE BARREL SMOKERS AND LENEXA RATTLER | |
| 37 | WILD SIDE BBQ | |
| 38 | BLUE EYED BBQ | |
| 39 | FU MAN QUE CREW | |
| 40 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 41 | TROPICAL HEAT BBQ | |
| 42 | RBQ | |
| 43 | Jack9 BBQ-CA | |
| 44 | Smoke-In-Law BBQ | |
| 45 | Four King BBQ | |
| 46 | WHEN PIGS FLY | |
| 47 | MYA&DJ'S BBQ | |
| 48 | HOLY SMOKERS |
Chicken
48 entries · top 177.1544 · median 169.1200
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | TWISTED BRISKET BBQ | |
| 2 | ROYAL SMOKIN' HOT | |
| 3 | NOTHING COMPARES 2 Q | |
| 4 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 5 | SMOKIN IT UP BBQ | |
| 6 | Smokin' Degenerates | |
| 7 | RIDGE ROUTE BOYS BBQ | |
| 8 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | |
| 9 | LADY OF Q | |
| 10 | NUTIN2IT BUT2QIT | |
| 11 | ROOSTER'S DOUBLE BARREL SMOKERS AND LENEXA RATTLER | |
| 12 | SMOKED SEDUCTION | |
| 13 | TOOT & STINKY'S CALI-Q | |
| 14 | The BBQ Yard | |
| 15 | CYNICAL BBQ | |
| 16 | BAR-B-Q'S-2GO | |
| 17 | SMOKERS PURGATORY | |
| 18 | 2LiveQ | |
| 19 | FU MAN QUE CREW | |
| 20 | MUDVILLE BBQ | |
| 21 | WILD SIDE BBQ | |
| 22 | CHOWTOWN SMOKERS CALI | |
| 23 | JET COATINGS - MONKEY STYLE | |
| 24 | Sharpe's Woodshed | |
| 25 | Smokey and the Pirate | |
| 26 | Jack9 BBQ-CA | |
| 27 | CHUBBY AND TUBBY'S | |
| 28 | BURNIN AND LOOTIN | |
| 29 | B' MACKIN BBQ | |
| 30 | PART TIME BBQ | |
| 31 | PIRATES OF THE PIG | |
| 32 | THE RIB DOCTOR LLC | |
| 33 | RAD FONDO BBQ | |
| 34 | BLUE EYED BBQ | |
| 35 | WEST COAST SMOKE | |
| 36 | Smokeshow | |
| 37 | WHEN PIGS FLY | |
| 38 | Four King BBQ | |
| 39 | HOLY SMOKERS | |
| 40 | Team Woodshed | |
| 41 | 7-8-9 BBQ | |
| 42 | OLD TOWN FRANKLIN BBQ | |
| 43 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 44 | RBQ | |
| 45 | Smoke-In-Law BBQ | |
| 46 | MYA&DJ'S BBQ | |
| 47 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 48 | TROPICAL HEAT BBQ |
Pork Ribs
48 entries · top 177.7372 · median 166.2514
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | |
| 2 | OLD TOWN FRANKLIN BBQ | |
| 3 | NUTIN2IT BUT2QIT | |
| 4 | RIDGE ROUTE BOYS BBQ | |
| 5 | Smokey and the Pirate | |
| 6 | 2LiveQ | |
| 7 | LADY OF Q | |
| 8 | 7-8-9 BBQ | |
| 9 | MUDVILLE BBQ | |
| 10 | TOOT & STINKY'S CALI-Q | |
| 11 | BAR-B-Q'S-2GO | |
| 12 | BURNIN AND LOOTIN | |
| 13 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 14 | SMOKERS PURGATORY | |
| 15 | CYNICAL BBQ | |
| 16 | B' MACKIN BBQ | |
| 17 | RBQ | |
| 18 | Team Woodshed | |
| 19 | The BBQ Yard | |
| 20 | PART TIME BBQ | |
| 21 | PIRATES OF THE PIG | |
| 22 | CHUBBY AND TUBBY'S | |
| 23 | ROYAL SMOKIN' HOT | |
| 24 | RAD FONDO BBQ | |
| 25 | NOTHING COMPARES 2 Q | |
| 26 | BLUE EYED BBQ | |
| 27 | CHOWTOWN SMOKERS CALI | |
| 28 | WEST COAST SMOKE | |
| 29 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 30 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 31 | SMOKIN IT UP BBQ | |
| 32 | Smokeshow | |
| 33 | Sharpe's Woodshed | |
| 34 | Smoke-In-Law BBQ | |
| 35 | Four King BBQ | |
| 36 | FU MAN QUE CREW | |
| 37 | JET COATINGS - MONKEY STYLE | |
| 38 | TWISTED BRISKET BBQ | |
| 39 | WILD SIDE BBQ | |
| 40 | WHEN PIGS FLY | |
| 41 | THE RIB DOCTOR LLC | |
| 42 | TROPICAL HEAT BBQ | |
| 43 | MYA&DJ'S BBQ | |
| 44 | Smokin' Degenerates | |
| 45 | SMOKED SEDUCTION | |
| 46 | ROOSTER'S DOUBLE BARREL SMOKERS AND LENEXA RATTLER | |
| 47 | Jack9 BBQ-CA | |
| 48 | HOLY SMOKERS |
Pork
48 entries · top 180 · median 167.7028 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2LiveQ | |
| 2 | Sharpe's Woodshed | |
| 3 | LADY OF Q | |
| 4 | RAD FONDO BBQ | |
| 5 | BURNIN AND LOOTIN | |
| 6 | Smokey and the Pirate | |
| 7 | SMOKED SEDUCTION | |
| 8 | PART TIME BBQ | |
| 9 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 10 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | |
| 11 | MUDVILLE BBQ | |
| 12 | Team Woodshed | |
| 13 | 7-8-9 BBQ | |
| 14 | RIDGE ROUTE BOYS BBQ | |
| 15 | TOOT & STINKY'S CALI-Q | |
| 16 | WEST COAST SMOKE | |
| 17 | ROYAL SMOKIN' HOT | |
| 18 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 19 | BAR-B-Q'S-2GO | |
| 20 | CHOWTOWN SMOKERS CALI | |
| 21 | BLUE EYED BBQ | |
| 22 | HOLY SMOKERS | |
| 23 | NOTHING COMPARES 2 Q | |
| 24 | CYNICAL BBQ | |
| 25 | The BBQ Yard | |
| 26 | OLD TOWN FRANKLIN BBQ | |
| 27 | ROOSTER'S DOUBLE BARREL SMOKERS AND LENEXA RATTLER | |
| 28 | SMOKERS PURGATORY | |
| 29 | JET COATINGS - MONKEY STYLE | |
| 30 | THE RIB DOCTOR LLC | |
| 31 | Smokin' Degenerates | |
| 32 | FU MAN QUE CREW | |
| 33 | Smoke-In-Law BBQ | |
| 34 | Smokeshow | |
| 35 | Four King BBQ | |
| 36 | B' MACKIN BBQ | |
| 37 | TWISTED BRISKET BBQ | |
| 38 | NUTIN2IT BUT2QIT | |
| 39 | TROPICAL HEAT BBQ | |
| 40 | RBQ | |
| 41 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 42 | WHEN PIGS FLY | |
| 43 | SMOKIN IT UP BBQ | |
| 44 | Jack9 BBQ-CA | |
| 45 | WILD SIDE BBQ | |
| 46 | MYA&DJ'S BBQ | |
| 47 | PIRATES OF THE PIG | |
| 48 | CHUBBY AND TUBBY'S |
Brisket
48 entries · top 176.5600 · median 163.6742
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | OLD TOWN FRANKLIN BBQ | |
| 2 | The BBQ Yard | |
| 3 | Sharpe's Woodshed | |
| 4 | TOOT & STINKY'S CALI-Q | |
| 5 | NOTHING COMPARES 2 Q | |
| 6 | CHUBBY AND TUBBY'S | |
| 7 | TROPICAL HEAT BBQ | |
| 8 | PIRATES OF THE PIG | |
| 9 | RAD FONDO BBQ | |
| 10 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 11 | SMOKED SEDUCTION | |
| 12 | Jack9 BBQ-CA | |
| 13 | B' MACKIN BBQ | |
| 14 | BURNIN AND LOOTIN | |
| 15 | LADY OF Q | |
| 16 | RIDGE ROUTE BOYS BBQ | |
| 17 | 2LiveQ | |
| 18 | JET COATINGS - MONKEY STYLE | |
| 19 | SMOKERS PURGATORY | |
| 20 | Smokin' Degenerates | |
| 21 | ROYAL SMOKIN' HOT | |
| 22 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | |
| 23 | PART TIME BBQ | |
| 24 | Smokeshow | |
| 25 | THE RIB DOCTOR LLC | |
| 26 | WILD SIDE BBQ | |
| 27 | MUDVILLE BBQ | |
| 28 | CYNICAL BBQ | |
| 29 | 7-8-9 BBQ | |
| 30 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 31 | MYA&DJ'S BBQ | |
| 32 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 33 | SMOKIN IT UP BBQ | |
| 34 | WEST COAST SMOKE | |
| 35 | Smokey and the Pirate | |
| 36 | BAR-B-Q'S-2GO | |
| 37 | ROOSTER'S DOUBLE BARREL SMOKERS AND LENEXA RATTLER | |
| 38 | TWISTED BRISKET BBQ | |
| 39 | Team Woodshed | |
| 40 | NUTIN2IT BUT2QIT | |
| 41 | RBQ | |
| 42 | HOLY SMOKERS | |
| 43 | Smoke-In-Law BBQ | |
| 44 | CHOWTOWN SMOKERS CALI | |
| 45 | WHEN PIGS FLY | |
| 46 | FU MAN QUE CREW | |
| 47 | BLUE EYED BBQ | |
| 48 | Four King BBQ |
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.
Ancillary — Dessert
11 entries · top 180 · median 174.2628 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | B' MACKIN BBQ | |
| 2 | SMOKED SEDUCTION | |
| 3 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | |
| 4 | TOOT & STINKY'S CALI-Q | |
| 5 | Smoke-In-Law BBQ | |
| 6 | 2LiveQ | |
| 7 | Sharpe's Woodshed | |
| 8 | WHEN PIGS FLY | |
| 9 | BLUE EYED BBQ | |
| 10 | TROPICAL HEAT BBQ | |
| 11 | PART TIME BBQ |