A tough matchup
16–0
behind in the head-to-head
SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA ahead in 100% of their meetings
SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA has come out ahead in 16 of their 16 shared contests.
Chain Smokers
Chain Smokers is a competition barbecue team with 20 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2026. Their best overall finish is 9th of 9 at the Smoke on the Waters - The Return! 2026 (2026). They are ranked #6342 of 6,477 teams in the KCBS power rankings.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1401
peak 1401 · rated over 19 contests
Contests
20
in the data
First seen
May 18, 2013
latest Sep 19, 2026 · 13.3 years on the trail
Grand champs
0
0 reserve
Category wins
0
1 podium
Overall top-10s
1
5% of 20 contests
Avg finish
top 79%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
588.01 ▼
last 5 Master vs avg 600.42 (-12.41)
Walk rate
15%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±28.22
spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 155.47 · weakest Pork (146.53)
Road miles
12,119
across 20 mapped stops · furthest 3,277 mi
Schedule strength
41%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1554)
Purse competed for
$47K
listed at 4 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
won from 4 state-championship entries
Master avg
600.42 / 720
18 Master contests · 0 GCs
Backyard (4-meat) avg
631.21 / 720
1 Backyard (4-meat) contest · 0 GCs
These overall scores sit on different scales (Master out of 720, Backyard (4-meat) out of 720), so they're kept separate — averaging them together would be misleading.
This team cooks the Backyard series — its own boards, records and Team of the Year are here.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 ↗ | Master | #1581 (118 pts) | #1672 (118 pts) | #1673 (118 pts) | #1672 (118 pts) | #1637 (118 pts) |
| 2018 ↗ | Master | #1110 (238 pts) | #1011 (303 pts) | #931 (353 pts) | #1177 (238 pts) | #1081 (268 pts) |
| 2017 ↗ | Master | #1220 (235 pts) | #790 (500 pts) | #1290 (240 pts) | #1296 (235 pts) | #961 (370 pts) |
| 2016 ↗ | Master | #2274 (60 pts) | #2097 (105 pts) | #2349 (60 pts) | #2326 (60 pts) | #2345 (60 pts) |
| 2014 ↗ | Master | #2458 (73 pts) | #2505 (73 pts) | #1829 (133 pts) | #2525 (73 pts) | #2494 (73 pts) |
| 2013 ↗ | Master | #2459 (67 pts) | #2501 (67 pts) | #1925 (97 pts) | #2500 (67 pts) | #2496 (67 pts) |
Overall rank by season
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to Chain Smokers, each with one reason worth a look.
#6,338 of the rated field
- Contests
- 17
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 12%
- Peak
- 1401
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 17 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Compare careers#6,340 of the rated field
- Contests
- 25
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 8%
- Peak
- 1401
Careers of much the same size, 25 contests to 20, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Compare careers#6,345 of the rated field
- Contests
- 14
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1400
Their last contest in the data was back in 2023, 3 years before Chain Smokers's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Compare careers#6,343 of the rated field
- Contests
- 13
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1401
13 contests and no Grand Championship yet.
⚔ Compare careers#6,344 of the rated field
- Contests
- 28
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 4%
- Peak
- 1401
Level with Chain Smokers on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Compare careers#6,339 of the rated field
- Contests
- 39
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 3%
- Peak
- 1502
Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.
⚔ Compare careersFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA | 16 | 0 | 16 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| Rogue Hog BBQ | 10 | 1 | 9 | 10% | ⚔ compare |
| BLAZIN' BUTTZ BBQ | 10 | 0 | 10 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| A MAZIE Q | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| MILLER'S BACKYARD BBQ | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| Chicken Chokers | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| Handsome Devil | 8 | 1 | 7 | 13% | ⚔ compare |
| THE BASIC BBQ TEAM | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| INSANE SWINE BBQ | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| PADDY MCQ'S | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| I Smell Smoke | 7 | 1 | 6 | 14% | ⚔ compare |
| FIRE DOWN BELOW | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| Smokin Aces | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| ACK-QUE | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| BIG RAZ BBQ | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 19 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 174.8800 | 130.8456 | 155.47 | top 68% |
| Pork Ribs | 19 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 167.4172 | 133.1772 | 148.85 | top 76% |
| Pork | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 169.6800 | 117.6572 | 146.53 | top 82% |
| Brisket | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 164.6172 | 115.4286 | 151.20 | top 67% |
“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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 1 | 0 | top 100% |
| Medium (20–39) | 7 | 0 | top 82% |
| Large (40+) | 11 | 0 | top 76% |
Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival | 4 | 15 | 0 | top 79% | Jul 23, 2022 |
| Hudson Valley Ribfest | 4 | 42 | 0 | top 79% | Aug 16, 2019 |
| NYC BBQ Cookoff | 2 | 28 | 0 | top 78% | Apr 6, 2018 |
More numbers
Busiest season
2017
6 contests
Contests a season
2
across 10 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
NY
8 of 20 contests · 6 states in all
Contests visited
12
3 of them more than once
Opponents faced
452
finished ahead 188 times, behind 629
Longest layoff
4.2 yrs
Jul 23, 2022 → Sep 19, 2026
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20262 milestones
- First overall top-10 Smoke on the Waters - The Return! 2026
- Most recent contest Smoke on the Waters - The Return! 2026
20192 milestones
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score650.8684 The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival
- Career-best overall score650.8684 The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival
20173 milestones
- 10th tracked contest The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival
- First call Hudson Valley Ribfest
- Career-best single call (Chicken)174.8800 Hudson Valley Ribfest
20132 milestones
- First tracked contest The Lexington Battle-Green BBQ Festival
- Peak power rating (1485) The Lexington Battle-Green BBQ Festival
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +1.9 | 24th Annual Colorado BBQ Challenge | Jun 16, 2017 |
| +1.9 | Lakeland Pig Festival | Jan 24, 2020 |
| +1.5 | The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival | Jul 27, 2019 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -14.8 | The Lexington Battle-Green BBQ Festival | May 18, 2013 |
| -10.3 | Monadnock Up in Smoke BBQ Fest | May 29, 2015 |
| -10.1 | Harvard Fall Festival BBQ Contest | Sep 14, 2013 |
| -9.5 | Smoke on the Waters - The Return! 2026 | Sep 19, 2026 |
| -9.2 | The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival | Jul 23, 2022 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 100% | top 100% | 72.5% | 72.5% |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 96% | 83.4% | 83.4% |
| 2020 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 57% | 87.7% | 87.7% |
| 2019 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 64% | 90.4% | 87.5% |
| 2018 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25% | top 80% | 87% | 85.5% |
| 2017 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17% | top 75% | 88.5% | 85% |
| 2016 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 83% | 84.5% | 84.5% |
| 2015 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 92% | 83.6% | 83.6% |
| 2014 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 75% | 85.5% | 85.5% |
| 2013 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 91% | 84.4% | 79.5% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 19, 2026 | Smoke on the Waters - The Return! 2026 Devon | 9 / 9 (522.2856) | 9 (130.8456) | 9 (133.1772) | 9 (117.6572) | 9 (140.6056) |
| Jul 23, 2022 | The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival 🏅 Windsor, VT | 24 / 25 (600.4112) | 22 (154.2512) | 25 (135.9544) | 23 (149.6456) | 15 (160.5600) |
| Jan 24, 2020 | Lakeland Pig Festival 🏅 Lakeland, FL | 30 / 53 (631.2116) | 11 (168) | 44 (142.1716) | 33 (157.0856) | 14 (163.9544) |
| Aug 16, 2019 | Hudson Valley Ribfest 🏅 New Paltz, NY | 44 / 53 (609.1088) | 39 (159.3828) | 51 (141.1316) | 45 (150.8800) | 26 (157.7144) |
| Jul 27, 2019 | The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival 🏅 Windsor, VT | 15 / 33 (650.8684) | 26 (161.1544) | 33 (142.7428) | 33 (135.9656) | 33 (142.2060) |
| Aug 17, 2018 | Hudson Valley Ribfest New Paltz, NY | 46 / 58 (626.1600) | 49 (154.8228) | 17 (167.4172) | 54 (147.4056) | 35 (156.5144) |
| Jul 28, 2018 | The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival Windsor, VT | 27 / 34 (617.1204) | 20 (162.2856) | 30 (151.4404) | 29 (151.4400) | 27 (151.9544) |
| May 18, 2018 | Salt City BBQ Festival Syracuse, NY | 28 / 34 (602.1600) | 17 (158.2856) | 31 (143.9888) | 29 (143.9200) | 21 (155.9656) |
| Apr 6, 2018 | NYC BBQ Cookoff Staten Island, NY | 28 / 36 (618.1600) | 28 (156.5256) | 10 (161.0972) | 35 (146.2400) | 23 (154.2972) |
| Aug 18, 2017 | Hudson Valley Ribfest New Paltz, NY | 42 / 59 (619.3828) | 3 (174.8800) | 45 (150.2628) | 55 (143.3944) | 41 (150.8456) |
| Jul 29, 2017 | The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival Windsor, VT | 28 / 30 (587.9888) | 19 (160.5944) | 29 (142.2516) | 30 (124.5600) | 12 (160.5828) |
| Jul 7, 2017 | I love Barbecue & Music Festival Lake Placid, NY | 29 / 40 (615.9424) | 13 (160.5368) | 24 (155.4284) | 25 (153.1428) | 31 (146.8344) |
| Jun 16, 2017 | 24th Annual Colorado BBQ Challenge Frisco, CO | 35 / 59 (637.5548) | 50 (149.0860) | 32 (159.9544) | 15 (169.6800) | 26 (158.8344) |
| Apr 7, 2017 | NYC BBQ Cookoff Staten Island, NY | 34 / 43 (598.6400) | 40 (136.9484) | 39 (146.2172) | 27 (150.8572) | 11 (164.6172) |
| Jan 27, 2017 | Lakeland Pig Festival Lakeland, FL | — | — | — | — | — |
| Aug 19, 2016 | Hudson Valley Ribfest New Paltz, NY | 43 / 52 (608.5028) | 16 (168.0112) | 49 (142.2516) | 39 (148.5600) | 40 (149.6800) |
| May 29, 2015 | Monadnock Up in Smoke BBQ Fest Swanzey, NH | 45 / 49 (602.1600) | 46 (150.2400) | 44 (149.7144) | 40 (152.5484) | 40 (149.6572) |
| May 31, 2014 | Monadnock Up in Smoke BBQ, Beer Fest Swanzey, NH | 36 / 48 (615.4056) | 40 (149.1544) | 13 (166.8800) | 36 (154.2740) | 40 (145.0972) |
| Sep 14, 2013 | Harvard Fall Festival BBQ Contest Harvard, MA | 36 / 42 (607.8512) | 38 (148.5600) | 19 (159.4056) | 33 (152.5256) | 31 (147.3600) |
| May 18, 2013 | The Lexington Battle-Green BBQ Festival Lexington, MA | 30 / 31 (536.5710) | 28 (150.2856) | 30 (136.5712) | 30 (134.2856) | 31 (115.4286) |