Cornhole is a popular game that is easily incorporated into any outdoor gathering. Whether hosting a family cookout or entertaining friends, cornhole is a convenient and affordable game you can play together. With minimal setup, you get going with your game quickly.
The simplicity of the game makes cornhole such a fun outdoor party game for all ages. Plus, the rules are easy to follow, and the setup is straightforward. All you need to get started are cornhole boards and bean bags!
Once you learn how to play, you can focus on the field layout, which is perhaps the most challenging aspect. Setting up a cornhole is still easy, and you can be flexible with the setup. You’re good to go as long as you know the general rules. For more information on cornhole, cornhole bags, and other items you need to play the game, continue reading below.
Getting Started With Cornhole
Source: playcornhole.org
Cornholes didn’t emerge until the 80s. It is accredited to Midwest states as a backyard game that can be played on any lawn and for any social gathering, including cookouts and barbecues. Today, it is a popular backyard game across the US, with many DIY versions of boards and cornhole bags incorporated for family-specific games.
The Game Setup
The field dimensions are not necessary. Most people play in their backyards regardless of the space and available layout. The most critical specification to pay attention to is the distance between the boards. Keep the cornhole boards 27 feet apart evenly.
You want to keep the space between the two boards equidistant so that the front of one board is leveled with the other. This is because the front of the board is also the foul line. You can move the foul line closer, no more than 12 feet.
How To Play Cornhole
Usually, a cornhole consists of four players or two teams of two people. Other arrangements, such as one-on-one, will work, but playing with four people at a time is the most enjoyable, as you can knock your opponent’s cornhole bags off their boards. The positions are based on a game of four people.
One person for each team stands adjacent to their cornhole board. Every board has two pitcher boxes, so you have one player on each side of the board. You end up with opponents standing in for each side. Teammates stand on the same side of the board to face each other.
The Standards For cornhole bags
A team must have four cornhole bags that are the same color. The other team must have four beanbags of a different color. If you purchase a cornhole set, you will get eight beanbags, including four of one color and four of another. Begin by placing all eight beanbags on one board.
How To Determine First Toss
Flip a coin to see which team is awarded the first throw. The winning team will do the first toss, and then opponents will toss their first of four cornhole bags. This process continues until all eight cornhole bags have been tossed. Then, the team that did the first throw will toss the starting bag back to the starting board, alternating with the opposing team for every bag until all eight bags have been tossed again.
Understanding “Rounds” In Cornhole
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Every time eight cornhole bags have been moved from one board to the other is a “round.” You can play as many rounds as needed until the points are tallied. The team which gets 21 or more points first wins.
The tallied system for cornhole points is as follows:
- Three points go to cornhole bags that go into the hole.
- One point goes to a bag that completes a round.
- One point goes to a board-landed bag that hangs into the hole.
- One point is awarded to a bag that falls to the board’s edge and does not touch the ground.
Adding Up Points
Tally all the points for each team and subtract the low from the high score. Whichever team has the high score will add their points to the total and receive the first toss for the next round. If teams have the same tallied points (a tie) for a round, the score remains as it is for that round.
Game Rules And Regulations
Source: letsplayadrinkinggame.com
If the bag touches the ground slightly, it is “out.” Likewise, if cornhole bags rest on different bags touching the ground, you get a point if you can remove the ground-touching bags while keeping the others on the board.
Note: Remember that people also include their own house rules depending on the number of people they play with. If you’re invited to a cornhole party, ensure you follow the rules of the hosting team.
Here are additional rules to keep in mind:
- Stay in the pitcher’s box area while tossing cornhole bags.
- Your hand may not go beyond the foul line while tossing.
- If the bag touches the ground and bounces to the cornhole board, that bag is “out” and must be removed.
- Do not cross the foul line while making throws.
- If a foul occurs, the bag is removed.
Cornhole terms are used differently depending on the game. Here are some of the common terms to be aware of that you can follow along with:
- Toss: (throwing the bag)
- Slider: (when a bag slides across the cornhole board)
- Corn on the cob: (when a player gets all eight cornhole bags on the board)
- Honors: (the team that gets the first toss)
- Wash: (the teams share the same amount of points, so they are canceled out, giving no additional points to either for that round.)
Purchasing Cornhole Sets
Honor the house rules that apply to cornhole games you’re participating in and enjoy being a part of a Midwest tradition that people of all ages enjoy. Be sure to look at premade cornhole set options to start with before you create your own boards and cornhole bags so you can retain a better understanding. We hope you win!
