How to Play Cornhole
How To Play
Objective
Be the first team to reach (or exceed) a score of 21 points at the end of an inning of play.
Cornhole Equipment
- Cornhole Boards: Usually two boards are used in a game. However, a single-board game may also be played.
- Cornhole Bags: Each team has four cornhole bags of contrasting colours.
Cornhole Board Distance
The cornhole boards are placed 27 feet apart from front edge to front edge. When playing with a single board, the board should simply be placed 27 feet away from the foul line. The players must toss the bags from behind the foul line.
Note: You may want to move the board closer together to make the game easier.
Cornhole Rules
The following are the recommended rules of cornhole according to the American Cornhole Association (ACA). However, we have also made some suggestions for single board play; these are not part of the ACA rules.
- Every game is broken down into innings of play. During an innings of play, each player must toss all four of his/her bags. An innings is not completed until all players toss all four of his/her bags.
- Cornhole is played with two teams, each consisting of one player (singles) or two players (doubles).
- Players pitch their bags in an underhand motion from the pitcher's box next to each side of the board.
- Players alternate turns tossing their cornhole bags toward the board opposite to them.
- After each team has pitched four bags, players take score, and start the next innings.
- The team who scored points in the previous innings goes first in the next innings. If it was tied, the team who went first in the last innings gets to go first again.
- In the case of singles play, players start the game at the headboard and alternate tossing bags until each player has tossed four bags. They then walk to the end of their lane to the other board, take score, and resume tossing back to the headboard. When playing with a single board, the players must move to the pitcher’s box opposite to them after every innings, while placing the board in the other pitcher’s box. Both players stay in their designated lane for the whole game.
- In the case of doubles play, each team comprises two people. Players at the headboard will alternate tossing bags until each player has tossed all four bags. Players at the footboard will then take score and resume tossing back to the headboard. Each team member will stay in their designated lane & pitcher’s box for the entire game.
Position of Players
- Players must toss their bags from within the pitcher's box or behind the foul line at the time of release.
- A player must toss all four bags from their designated pitcher's box.
- Players must toss the bag with an under-hand release.
Cornhole Scoring
- Cancellation Scoring: Only one team can score points per innings. The team with the higher score cancels out the points of the opposing team in that innings.
- Points Calculation: The team with the higher score in an innings earns the difference in points. For instance, if Team A scores 5 points and Team B scores 2 points in an innings, Team A earns 3 points for that innings.
- A bag that goes through the hole is a bag-in-the-hole or a cornhole, and is worth 3 points.
- A bag that lands on the board and stays there is a bag-in-the-count or a woody, and is worth 1 point.
- A bag that lands on the ground or bounces onto the board is worth 0 points.
Foul Bags
The following are rule violations that must be spotted and called by a player or assigned judge. The penalty is to declare the bag a foul bag, which requires the bags to be removed from the court prior to resuming play.
A foul bag is defined as:
- Any bag tossed when the player has (1) made contact with or crossed over the foul line, or (2) started or stepped completely outside the pitcher's box before the bag is released.
- Any bag not tossed within the 20-second time limit.
- A bag tossed from a different pitcher's box than the first bag.
- Any bag that contacted the court or the ground before coming to rest on the board.
- Any bag that struck a previously defined object such as a tree, limb, wire, indoor court ceiling, etc.
- Any bag removed from the board before scoring has been agreed upon for that bag. The offending team (who touches the bag) forfeits all remaining bags and tallies the score of just the bags thrown before the foul was reported.
If a foul is declared, the non-offending team tallies 12 points as if they had thrown four Bag In-The-Holes during the innings.
Notes:
- A bag that leaves a player's hand once the final forward swing of the delivery process has started shall count as a tossed bag.
- A bag that is accidentally dropped by a player before the final forward swing has started shall not be considered foul and may be picked up and tossed.
- Protests - If a player desires to make a protest, the protest shall be made to the judge or official at the time the problem occurs. The judge shall make the final ruling for all protests.
Winning the Game
The first player or team to reach or exceed 21 points at the conclusion of an innings is the winner.