Click to view infographic

Introduction

The rules for the game of Cornhole have been modified and alterated, over time, and there have been many adaptations of the game based on location. No matter where or how you play it, the rules are simple, easy-to-follow and provide the foundation for a consistent, entertaining game to take place, no matter the crowd.

Cornhole (also known as Bag-toss or Baggo), begins with 2 teams. A doubles game has 4 total players, 2 on each team. A singles game has two players, total, on opposite teams.

There are 8 total bags in a Cornhole Game that are separated into two groups, each group with it’s own color and an assigned team.

What is a Cornhole bag? A regulation Cornhole bag (product link) is a 6in x 6in, 12oz duck cloth bag that is filled with 16oz (1lb) of corn.

The cornhole boards have a 24in x 48in scoring platform, with a 6in hole that is 6in from the top of the board. Each board is placed opposite of each other, on the ground, exactly 27 feet apart from front to front.

A coin flip determines which team goes first. After the coin flip, players will retreat to their respective starting locations. There is a starting side and a spectating side. It is important to note that the starting side has 1 player from each team which mirrors the spectating side. The players who decide to start will begin their round at the starting side, and the team who won the coin flip will throw first for that round. All 8 bags start at one side. Players must not cross the foul line, during play, which is defined by the front edge of the board and extends to the left and right, as well as the edge of the board (the play area, or throw area, does not intersect the plane of the board, nor does it intersect the area between both boards). After the first team throws 1 bag, the player on the same side throws one of their bags, each player trying to get a higher score.

Cornhole Keynotes

Team members at opposite boards

Team members face each other

8 bags start at one side

The loser of the coin flip, on the starting side, tosses second

Players alternate throws until no bags remain

The score is counted

The team that wins the round will throw first in the following round

If there is a tie, the team that throws does not change

Scoring

3 points 3 points goes to a player who makes their bag into the hole without fouling. 1 point 1 point goes to a player who makes their bag onto the face of the board without fouling. 0 points or Foul No points are awarded if a bag: Does not make it on the board Touches the ground during gameplay Touches a bag that is also touching the ground, during gameplay Is thrown by a player crossing the foul line Does not meet regulation requirements Is thrown by a player on the opposite team of the bag color



The difference-of-points are added to the winning team’s score.

The difference-of-points is important, so these instructions will explain how to easily calculate per round. If red team scores 3 points by successfully landing 3 bags on the face of the board, without foul, and blue team successfully lands 1 bag on the face of the board, we can “cancel out” 1 red bag and 1 blue bag, and we are left with 2 red points. If blue team scored 1 point on the face of the board and red teamscored 1 bag in the hole, for 3 points, red team would still have 1 point at the end of the round.

Winning the Game

The game continues, with each side alternating rounds, until one team reaches 21 points. To make the score transparent for all players, even in a busy environment, AJJ Cornhole offers the Scoretower Single (product link).