High-water mark
684.4572
career-best overall
95.1% of a perfect 720
Their best day on record: 684.4572 at Smoke on the Border Gravette Chambers of Commerce — 95.1% of a perfect 720.
- Master
- Apr 1, 2017
Smoke a little smoke
Smoke a little smoke is a competition barbecue team with 9 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2018. Their best overall finish is 7th of 37 at the Smoke on the Border Gravette Chambers of Commerce (2017). They are ranked #3759 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1488
peak 1488 · rated over 9 contests
Contests
9
in the data
First seen
Oct 3, 2013
latest Sep 15, 2018 · 5 years on the trail
Grand champs
0
0 reserve
Category wins
0
2 podiums
Overall top-10s
1
11% of 9 contests
Avg finish
top 64%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
651.81 ▲
last 5 Master vs avg 643.16 (+8.65)
Walk rate
33%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±22.68
spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 168.06 · weakest Pork Ribs (156.68)
Road miles
897
across 9 mapped stops · furthest 180 mi
Schedule strength
48%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1562)
Master avg
643.16 / 720
9 Master contests · 0 GCs
Team of the Year (rank per category by season — the year links to the full board on kcbs.us)
| Year | Series | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 ↗ | Master | #1954 (60 pts) | #2012 (60 pts) | #1996 (60 pts) | #2030 (60 pts) | #1990 (60 pts) |
| 2017 ↗ | Master | #1516 (165 pts) | #1219 (260 pts) | #2123 (90 pts) | #2067 (95 pts) | #1285 (235 pts) |
| 2016 ↗ | Master | #1932 (119 pts) | #1189 (279 pts) | #2067 (114 pts) | #1158 (299 pts) | #2037 (114 pts) |
| 2013 ↗ | Master | #1778 (112 pts) | #1511 (157 pts) | #2423 (72 pts) | #1874 (112 pts) | #1726 (127 pts) |
Overall rank by season
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to Smoke a little smoke, each with one reason worth a look.
132 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#3,747 of the rated field
- Contests
- 9
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 11%
- Peak
- 1519
0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to Smoke a little smoke)
One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team Smoke a little smoke has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.
⚔ Head-to-head#3,783 of the rated field
- Contests
- 5
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 40%
- Peak
- 1488
0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to Smoke a little smoke)
Fewer contests behind them than Smoke a little smoke has cooked, 5 to 9, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.
⚔ Head-to-head#3,748 of the rated field
- Contests
- 24
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 4%
- Peak
- 1524
0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to Smoke a little smoke)
They've been 1524 at their best, 36 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.
⚔ Head-to-head#3,771 of the rated field
- Contests
- 68
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 9%
- Peak
- 1532
1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to Smoke a little smoke)
Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 68 contests, alongside a 9% overall top-10 rate.
⚔ Head-to-head#3,744 of the rated field
- Contests
- 10
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 30%
- Peak
- 1488
Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.
⚔ Compare careers#3,767 of the rated field
- Contests
- 9
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 11%
- Peak
- 1501
Level with Smoke a little smoke on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Compare careersFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAVEMAN CUISINE | 7 | 1 | 6 | 14% | ⚔ compare |
| GETTIN' BASTED | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| THE SMOKING HILLS | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| OLD STYLE BBQ | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| DUSTY ROADS BBQ | 6 | 4 | 2 | 67% | ⚔ compare |
| HABITUAL SMOKERS | 6 | 2 | 4 | 33% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKE ON WHEELS | 6 | 1 | 5 | 17% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOOTH SMOKE | 6 | 1 | 5 | 17% | ⚔ compare |
| B & C SMOKERS | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| Three Brothers Different Mothers | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| Big Wigs BBQ | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| Sublime BBQ | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| DIRT ROAD BBQ | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| CHOP QUEY | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 9 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 177.7028 | 150.8800 | 168.06 | top 36% |
| Pork Ribs | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 165.1088 | 144 | 156.68 | top 73% |
| Pork | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 173.7372 | 138.2628 | 161.32 | top 57% |
| Brisket | 9 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 175.4056 | 148.5028 | 157.11 | top 65% |
“Calls” = top-10 category finishes (getting called to the stage). Scores here are the final weighted totals KCBS publishes; per-criterion appearance/taste/tenderness marks aren’t in the public results feed.
By field size and state
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium (20–39) | 3 | 0 | top 50% |
| Large (40+) | 6 | 0 | top 71% |
More numbers
Busiest season
2016
3 contests
Contests a season
1.5
across 6 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
KS
4 of 9 contests · 3 states in all
Contests visited
9
a different one every time
Opponents faced
1,482
finished ahead 713 times, behind 2,138
Longest layoff
1.5 yrs
Apr 1, 2017 → Sep 15, 2018
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20181 milestone
- Most recent contest 39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)
20173 milestones
- First overall top-10 Smoke on the Border Gravette Chambers of Commerce
- Career-best overall score684.4572 Smoke on the Border Gravette Chambers of Commerce
- Career-best single call (Chicken)177.7028 Smoke on the Border Gravette Chambers of Commerce
20134 milestones
- First tracked contest 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open
- First call Border War Barbecue
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score665.0740 Border War Barbecue
- Peak power rating (1494) Border War Barbecue
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +13.8 | Smoke on the Border Gravette Chambers of Commerce | Apr 1, 2017 |
| +5.4 | Main Street BBQ & Bluesfest | Apr 15, 2016 |
| +3 | Border War Barbecue | Oct 25, 2013 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -9.2 | 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open | Oct 3, 2013 |
| -7.5 | 35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open | Oct 2, 2014 |
| -6.5 | 37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) | Oct 29, 2016 |
| -5.5 | Tonganoxie Days BBQ Blowout | Jun 11, 2016 |
| -4.1 | 36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open | Oct 3, 2015 |
Scores over time (% of a perfect score — tap a meat to add it)
Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)
Where they finish (overall)
Best vs average (by meat)
How entries end (by meat)
Season by season
| Season | Contests | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 66% | 90.1% | 90.1% |
| 2017 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 100% | top 19% | 95.1% | 95.1% |
| 2016 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33% | top 71% | 91.4% | 89.2% |
| 2015 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 72% | 87.9% | 87.9% |
| 2014 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 80% | 86.8% | 86.8% |
| 2013 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50% | top 65% | 92.4% | 88.3% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 15, 2018 | 39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS | 308 / 467 (648.4340) | 127 (170.8800) | 311 (162.2284) | 329 (159.9540) | 365 (155.3716) |
| Apr 1, 2017 | Smoke on the Border Gravette Chambers of Commerce Gravette, AR | 7 / 37 (684.4572) | 2 (177.7028) | 19 (165.1088) | 18 (166.2400) | 3 (175.4056) |
| Oct 29, 2016 | 37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS | 455 / 557 (623.3720) | 281 (164.5372) | 467 (152.5944) | 505 (151.3944) | 396 (154.8460) |
| Jun 11, 2016 | Tonganoxie Days BBQ Blowout Tonganoxie, KS | 24 / 29 (644.4684) | 13 (170.8228) | 25 (154.8572) | 18 (165.7028) | 26 (153.0856) |
| Apr 15, 2016 | Main Street BBQ & Bluesfest Washington, MO | 25 / 53 (658.3088) | 7 (174.2972) | 30 (160.0116) | 4 (173.7372) | 44 (150.2628) |
| Oct 3, 2015 | 36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open Kansas City, MO | 436 / 606 (633.0400) | 243 (165.7372) | 484 (154.2400) | 283 (164.5600) | 512 (148.5028) |
| Oct 2, 2014 | 35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO | 442 / 552 (625.0972) | 496 (150.8800) | 389 (157.6916) | 230 (165.7028) | 449 (150.8228) |
| Oct 25, 2013 | Border War Barbecue Osawatomie, KS | 13 / 27 (665.0740) | 7 (170.8456) | 21 (159.3828) | 13 (166.2972) | 10 (168.5484) |
| Oct 3, 2013 | 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO | 438 / 535 (606.1940) | 147 (166.8112) | 473 (144) | 520 (138.2628) | 282 (157.1200) |