Well,what Hook says about KCBS "officially "not scoring for smokering is correct.
MIM teaches that you can score for smokering,if you really think there is an effect.
In other words,they won't take a position.
But like Smokin'says,perception can be important,if the one perceiving it is struck by it.
In the judging tent,people still eat first with their eyes and subjectively allow it to sway them-right, or wrong.
Some placements can be changed by as little as 0.0001 on a 180 score.
The top cooks go for every fragment.
That being said,I never even think about it ,when serving it to guests in my home.