A statement win
13.2344
points clear of the field
Wider than 94% of the 4,710 championships in the data
The champion won by 13.2344 points — a wider margin than 94% of championships in the data.
Somerset Sizzle
May 20–21, 2023 · Somerset, MA · 📍 100 Slades Ferry Avenue · State championship
Reps: Karen Jane Williams, Ralph Williams · Prize money: $5,000
PADDY MCQ'S won Grand Champion at the Somerset Sizzle on May 20, 2023 in Somerset, MA at 100 Slades Ferry Avenue, scoring 701.1200 in a field of 24 teams. SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA took Reserve Grand Champion with 687.8856. Category winners: Chicken — Let It Smoke Barbecue (177.1544); Pork Ribs — Lone Star Q' (175.4056); Pork — Let It Smoke Barbecue (175.4400); Brisket — PADDY MCQ'S (180.0000).
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.
588.86
median 660.20
701.12 🏆
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 175.41
- Pork 175.44
- Brisket 180 🔥
135.82
180
Entries
24
4 judged meats
Top score
701.1200
Winning margin
13.2344
GC over RC
Field average
658.60
588.86701.12
median 660.20 · last place to winner
Tightest race
Pork
2.3316 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
665.6912
588.86701.12
10th place overall
Field spread
112.2628
winner to last place
Prize money
$5,000
on the line
Double threats
6
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 28%
beats 72% of 4711 Master Series wins in the data
Form held
Moderate
ρ = -0.45 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,536
avg power rating going in · stronger than 26% 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 10 calls decided inside half a point
Chicken places 6–7: PADDY MCQ'S and Grumpy Old Patriot Barbeque tied on 172.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 7–8: Grumpy Old Patriot Barbeque and ELJEFE SMOKE tied on 172.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 2–3: PADDY MCQ'S and 16 Mesh BBQ tied on 175.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Chicken 6–7 · tie
- Chicken 7–8 · tie
- Pork 2–3 · tie
- Pork Ribs 5–6 · 0.0112
A double category winner
2
category wins in a day
Let It Smoke Barbecue won Chicken, Pork — a double.
- Chicken 1st
- Pork 1st
How the title was won
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
PADDY MCQ'S took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was chicken at 6th.
- Chicken 6th
- Pork Ribs 2nd
- Pork 2nd
- Brisket 1st
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.
- PADDY MCQ'S · Brisket
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 | 173.1084 | 171.4056 |
| Pork Ribs | 175.4056 | 168.5484 | 166.8228 |
| Pork | 175.4400 | 173.1084 | 168.5944 |
| Brisket | 180 | 171.4056 | 164 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
24 entries · top 701.1200 · median 660.2000
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PADDY MCQ'S | |
| 2 | SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA | |
| 3 | ELJEFE SMOKE | |
| 4 | FIRE AT THE END OF THE DAY | |
| 5 | Let It Smoke Barbecue | |
| 6 | HOG WASH BBQ | |
| 7 | Matt's Backyard BBQ | |
| 8 | FOUR SMOKING GUYS | |
| 9 | WAYPOINT BBQ | |
| 10 | 16 Mesh BBQ | |
| 11 | Live Q or Die | |
| 12 | UP IN YOUR GRILL | |
| 13 | Lone Star Q' | |
| 14 | Barnyard Rebel | |
| 15 | Mullen It Over BBQ | |
| 16 | Q Shanty | |
| 17 | Grumpy Old Patriot Barbeque | |
| 18 | STICKS & STONES BBQ | |
| 19 | SCHWEBS BBQ | |
| 20 | Bovine Intervention | |
| 21 | BBQ Bandits | |
| 22 | Red White and Cue | |
| 23 | Carpetbagger's BBQ | |
| 24 | Dunny's BBQ |
Chicken
24 entries · top 177.1544 · median 167.9770
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Let It Smoke Barbecue | |
| 2 | HOG WASH BBQ | |
| 3 | STICKS & STONES BBQ | |
| 4 | Q Shanty | |
| 5 | SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA | |
| 6 | PADDY MCQ'S | |
| 7 | Grumpy Old Patriot Barbeque | |
| 8 | ELJEFE SMOKE | |
| 9 | Bovine Intervention | |
| 10 | Live Q or Die | |
| 11 | FIRE AT THE END OF THE DAY | |
| 12 | Mullen It Over BBQ | |
| 13 | UP IN YOUR GRILL | |
| 14 | WAYPOINT BBQ | |
| 15 | 16 Mesh BBQ | |
| 16 | FOUR SMOKING GUYS | |
| 17 | Matt's Backyard BBQ | |
| 18 | SCHWEBS BBQ | |
| 19 | Barnyard Rebel | |
| 20 | Lone Star Q' | |
| 21 | BBQ Bandits | |
| 22 | Carpetbagger's BBQ | |
| 23 | Red White and Cue | |
| 24 | Dunny's BBQ |
Pork Ribs
24 entries · top 175.4056 · median 165.6856
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lone Star Q' | |
| 2 | PADDY MCQ'S | |
| 3 | FOUR SMOKING GUYS | |
| 4 | SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA | |
| 5 | FIRE AT THE END OF THE DAY | |
| 6 | Mullen It Over BBQ | |
| 7 | WAYPOINT BBQ | |
| 8 | ELJEFE SMOKE | |
| 9 | Matt's Backyard BBQ | |
| 10 | SCHWEBS BBQ | |
| 11 | UP IN YOUR GRILL | |
| 12 | Grumpy Old Patriot Barbeque | |
| 13 | Let It Smoke Barbecue | |
| 14 | Live Q or Die | |
| 15 | 16 Mesh BBQ | |
| 16 | STICKS & STONES BBQ | |
| 17 | Barnyard Rebel | |
| 18 | Q Shanty | |
| 19 | HOG WASH BBQ | |
| 20 | BBQ Bandits | |
| 21 | Bovine Intervention | |
| 22 | Red White and Cue | |
| 23 | Carpetbagger's BBQ | |
| 24 | Dunny's BBQ |
Pork
24 entries · top 175.4400 · median 166.5542
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Let It Smoke Barbecue | |
| 2 | PADDY MCQ'S | |
| 3 | 16 Mesh BBQ | |
| 4 | FIRE AT THE END OF THE DAY | |
| 5 | FOUR SMOKING GUYS | |
| 6 | Matt's Backyard BBQ | |
| 7 | ELJEFE SMOKE | |
| 8 | SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA | |
| 9 | SCHWEBS BBQ | |
| 10 | Lone Star Q' | |
| 11 | Q Shanty | |
| 12 | HOG WASH BBQ | |
| 13 | Live Q or Die | |
| 14 | Mullen It Over BBQ | |
| 15 | WAYPOINT BBQ | |
| 16 | UP IN YOUR GRILL | |
| 17 | Barnyard Rebel | |
| 18 | Red White and Cue | |
| 19 | BBQ Bandits | |
| 20 | Grumpy Old Patriot Barbeque | |
| 21 | STICKS & STONES BBQ | |
| 22 | Bovine Intervention | |
| 23 | Carpetbagger's BBQ | |
| 24 | Dunny's BBQ |
Brisket
24 entries · top 180 · median 161.9886 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PADDY MCQ'S | |
| 2 | SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA | |
| 3 | ELJEFE SMOKE | |
| 4 | Barnyard Rebel | |
| 5 | HOG WASH BBQ | |
| 6 | WAYPOINT BBQ | |
| 7 | Matt's Backyard BBQ | |
| 8 | FIRE AT THE END OF THE DAY | |
| 9 | FOUR SMOKING GUYS | |
| 10 | Let It Smoke Barbecue | |
| 11 | UP IN YOUR GRILL | |
| 12 | Live Q or Die | |
| 13 | 16 Mesh BBQ | |
| 14 | Carpetbagger's BBQ | |
| 15 | STICKS & STONES BBQ | |
| 16 | BBQ Bandits | |
| 17 | Grumpy Old Patriot Barbeque | |
| 18 | Lone Star Q' | |
| 19 | Dunny's BBQ | |
| 20 | Mullen It Over BBQ | |
| 21 | Bovine Intervention | |
| 22 | Red White and Cue | |
| 23 | Q Shanty | |
| 24 | SCHWEBS BBQ |