How to Play Cornhole

How to Play Cornhole

Cornhole can be played in two formats: singles or doubles. In singles, the two players stand on either side of the board and aim their toss to the same board.  The players must stay in their lane the entire game.   A round is complete when each player has thrown 4 bags, taking turns after every bag. Once all 8 bags have been thrown, the players walk to the other board and tally their scores. During doubles play, partners stand directly across from one another and compete against their opponent. Whichever player or team scores the most points in one round is the first player or team to throw in the next round.
To earn points, you must outscore your opponent for the round. The difference in score is your earned points. Points are scored by throwing the bag:

  • On the board – 1pt
  • In the hole – 3pts

Whichever player or team scores the most points in one round is the first player or team to throw in the next round. A player or team that scores at least 21pts by the completion of a round is the winner. In the event that a tie occurs, another round will be played until a team or player scores.

Scoring Examples

Red Team has one bag in the hole and two bags on the board for 5pts. The Blue Team has two bags on the board and two in the hole for 8pts. The Blue Team earns 3pts for that round (8-5=3).    It doesn’t matter how the bags end up where they do at the end of the round which means the red team could have push in one of those blue bags into the hole and it still would have scored the same.

 

Additional Rules

Dead Bags – Any bag that touches the ground is not worth any points. When a bag hits the ground, but rolls onto a board, that bag does not earn any points and can be removed.

Skunk – A player or team that is winning by at least 13pts to 0pts at the end of a round will win the game. This rule is optional and applies during casual play only.

Must Get 21 Exactly – If a player or team gets more than 21pts at the end of a round, their score is reverted back to 13pts and the game continues until a player or team gets 21 exactly. This rule applies during casual play only.

Set and Match – A set is the best of three games. A match is the best of any number of sets (generally 3, 5 or 7).

Lanes – Players pick a lane (one side of the board or the other) and must stick to that lane during the game. If both players want the same lane, then the players will flip a coin or spin a bag to decide.

Throwing First – Easiest way to determine who throws first is to spin the bag. One player spins the bag so that it lands on the board. The seam of the bag or a marking pointing to a player will give that player honors. The player that scores first in a round goes first for the next round.

Foul Line – The boards’ front edges are the foul line. All players’ feet, even those players who are not currently throwing, must be positioned behind the foul line when throwing bags.

 

Pro Tips

If your bags are sliding off the board, add more arc to your toss. Toss the bags with a smooth swing of the arm; consistency is key. As you toss, your feet start off together, then as you begin your swing, step with your opposite foot towards the foul line. Throw the bags close to the foul line without stepping over the foul line. 5 seconds should be allowed for bags to rest before picking up bags at the end of a round.

Playing Surface: Our boards work best on soft surfaces, like grass and sand.

Care Tips: It’s best to keep the boards and bags dry and to minimize exposure to UV light.