A tough matchup
10–0
behind in the head-to-head
Big Fork BBQ ahead in 100% of their meetings
Big Fork BBQ has come out ahead in 10 of their 10 shared contests.
POKER SMOKERS
POKER SMOKERS is a competition barbecue team with 12 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2024. Their best overall finish is 49th of 58 at the Murphysboro BBQ Cook-off/Praise the Lard (2024). They are ranked #6359 of 6,477 teams in the KCBS power rankings.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1397
peak 1397 · rated over 12 contests
Contests
12
in the data
First seen
Sep 27, 2013
latest Sep 20, 2024 · 11 years on the trail
Grand champs
0
0 reserve
Category wins
0
0 podiums
Overall top-10s
0
0% of 12 contests
Avg finish
top 86%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
562.29 ▼
last 5 Master vs avg 584.85 (-22.56)
Walk rate
0%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±88.53
spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Pork
avg 154.11 · weakest Pork Ribs (143.93)
Road miles
324
across 12 mapped stops · furthest 304 mi
Schedule strength
12%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1518)
Purse competed for
$30K
listed at 4 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
won from 12 state-championship entries
Master avg
584.85 / 720
12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 ↗ | Master | #1182 (60 pts) | #1242 (60 pts) | #1317 (60 pts) | #1231 (60 pts) | #1204 (60 pts) |
| 2018 ↗ | Master | #1954 (60 pts) | #1982 (65 pts) | #1996 (60 pts) | #2030 (60 pts) | #1990 (60 pts) |
| 2017 ↗ | Master | #2212 (60 pts) | #2286 (60 pts) | #2304 (60 pts) | #2260 (60 pts) | #2266 (60 pts) |
Overall rank by season
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to POKER SMOKERS, each with one reason worth a look.
#6,360 of the rated field
- Contests
- 30
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 3%
- Peak
- 1397
1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to POKER SMOKERS)
2 contests in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team POKER SMOKERS has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.
⚔ Head-to-head#6,365 of the rated field
- Contests
- 11
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1397
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 11 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Compare careers#6,364 of the rated field
- Contests
- 15
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1397
Careers of much the same size, 15 contests to 12, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Compare careers#6,363 of the rated field
- Contests
- 16
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1397
Their last contest in the data was back in 2021, 3 years before POKER SMOKERS's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Compare careers#6,361 of the rated field
- Contests
- 21
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1397
21 contests and no Grand Championship yet.
⚔ Compare careers#6,362 of the rated field
- Contests
- 21
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1397
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KC Rib doctor | 11 | 1 | 10 | 9% | ⚔ compare |
| PASSIONS OF THE PIT | 10 | 1 | 9 | 10% | ⚔ compare |
| Big Fork BBQ | 10 | 0 | 10 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| Right Time BBQ | 9 | 7 | 2 | 78% | ⚔ compare |
| SMF | 9 | 4 | 5 | 44% | ⚔ compare |
| Last Years Leftovers | 9 | 3 | 6 | 33% | ⚔ compare |
| NachBarBQ | 9 | 3 | 6 | 33% | ⚔ compare |
| Just Smoked Your Butt | 9 | 2 | 7 | 22% | ⚔ compare |
| Grilligans Island | 9 | 1 | 8 | 11% | ⚔ compare |
| Evening Wood | 9 | 1 | 8 | 11% | ⚔ compare |
| Why Not Smoke | 9 | 1 | 8 | 11% | ⚔ compare |
| YARDHOGS BBQ | 9 | 1 | 8 | 11% | ⚔ compare |
| HAWG HEAVEN | 9 | 1 | 8 | 11% | ⚔ compare |
| Bubba's Pig-a-licious | 9 | 1 | 8 | 11% | ⚔ compare |
| Fat&Dumb BBQ | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 169.7028 | 119.3372 | 153.65 | top 72% |
| Pork Ribs | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 172.0688 | 20 | 143.93 | top 72% |
| Pork | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 169.1316 | 135.9656 | 154.11 | top 75% |
| Brisket | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 162.8228 | 126.8344 | 145.26 | top 84% |
“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
Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship | 7 | 83 | 0 | top 95% | Sep 23, 2022 |
| Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship Barbeque | 2 | 67 | 0 | top 70% | Sep 21, 2018 |
More numbers
Busiest season
2017
2 contests
Contests a season
1.2
across 10 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
KS
11 of 12 contests · 2 states in all
Contests visited
5
2 of them more than once
Opponents faced
523
finished ahead 209 times, behind 1,147
Longest layoff
2 yrs
Sep 27, 2019 → Sep 24, 2021
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20243 milestones
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score652.9252 Murphysboro BBQ Cook-off/Praise the Lard
- Career-best overall score652.9252 Murphysboro BBQ Cook-off/Praise the Lard
- Most recent contest Murphysboro BBQ Cook-off/Praise the Lard
20211 milestone
- 10th tracked contest Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship (TEAM & JUDGES ARE FULL-WAITLIST ONLY)
20171 milestone
- Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)172.0688 Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship Barbeque
20132 milestones
- First tracked contest Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship
- Peak power rating (1485) Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -15 | Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship | Sep 27, 2013 |
| -13.5 | Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship | Sep 25, 2015 |
| -13.3 | Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship | Sep 26, 2014 |
| -12.1 | Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship (TEAM & JUDGES ARE FULL-WAITLIST ONLY) | Sep 24, 2021 |
| -12 | Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship | Sep 23, 2016 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 84% | 90.7% | 90.7% |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 95% | 83.7% | 83.7% |
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 100% | 41.9% | 41.9% |
| 2019 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 87% | 85.4% | 85.4% |
| 2018 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 63% | 88.8% | 88.8% |
| 2017 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 76% | 87.6% | 86.7% |
| 2016 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 83% | 85.8% | 84.8% |
| 2015 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 97% | 81.5% | 81.5% |
| 2014 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 95% | 81.5% | 81.5% |
| 2013 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 97% | 78.4% | 78.4% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 20, 2024 | Murphysboro BBQ Cook-off/Praise the Lard 🏅 Murphysboro, IL | 49 / 58 (652.9252) | 46 (163.9428) | 52 (161.6340) | 49 (164.5256) | 43 (162.8228) |
| Sep 23, 2022 | Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship 🏅 Shawnee, KS | 83 / 87 (602.7312) | 81 (150.8000) | 87 (143.4056) | 70 (157.1084) | 69 (151.4172) |
| Sep 24, 2021 | Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship (TEAM & JUDGES ARE FULL-WAITLIST ONLY) 🏅 Shawnee, KS | 86 / 86 (301.6228) | 86 (145.6572) | 86 (20) | 86 (135.9656) | — |
| Sep 27, 2019 | Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship 🏅 Shawnee, KS | 89 / 102 (614.7656) | 94 (147.9656) | 71 (158.2628) | 91 (150.8800) | 64 (157.6572) |
| Sep 21, 2018 | Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship Barbeque 🏅 Shawnee, KS | 67 / 107 (639.3832) | 24 (169.7028) | 93 (152.5372) | 28 (169.1316) | 95 (148.0116) |
| Sep 22, 2017 | Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship Barbeque 🏅 Shawnee, KS | 87 / 112 (630.8232) | 71 (160.0344) | 14 (172.0688) | 33 (167.4056) | 111 (131.3144) |
| Jun 23, 2017 | Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS | 135 / 184 (617.5888) | 99 (157.1544) | 69 (162.2400) | 117 (157.0856) | 166 (141.1088) |
| Sep 23, 2016 | Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship 🏅 Shawnee, KS | 105 / 111 (602.7544) | 48 (164.6056) | 88 (153.6456) | 105 (146.2516) | 106 (138.2516) |
| Jun 24, 2016 | Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS | 132 / 183 (617.6684) | 97 (157.7256) | 116 (156.5600) | 153 (147.9884) | 108 (155.3944) |
| Sep 25, 2015 | Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship 🏅 Shawnee, KS | 109 / 112 (586.8112) | 94 (153.7256) | 111 (138.2628) | 105 (145.1200) | 92 (149.7028) |
| Sep 26, 2014 | Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship 🏅 Shawnee, KS | 106 / 112 (586.6976) | 97 (153.0972) | 96 (146.8460) | 99 (151.3828) | 109 (135.3716) |
| Sep 27, 2013 | Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship 🏅 Shawnee, KS | 111 / 114 (564.3772) | 112 (119.3372) | 52 (161.6800) | 77 (156.5256) | 113 (126.8344) |