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Cornhole?!? Yes that is right a game called cornhole. Whether you have heard about this game or have no idea what it is, this game is sweeping the nation by storm. In this guide we will discuss the history of cornhole, the equipment used, how to play and what to look for when buying a set.
When you are finished with this guide you will be ready to start playing cornhole and believe me you will want to. The game can be played by all ages. It is possible to buy unfinished boards and kits to make it a family project from building it all the way to playing it. Bring your family closer today and start playing cornhole.
When you are finished with this guide you will be ready to start playing cornhole and believe me you will want to. The game can be played by all ages. It is possible to buy unfinished boards and kits to make it a family project from building it all the way to playing it. Bring your family closer today and start playing cornhole.
We will first start this out by the definition of cornhole from the wikipedia encyclopedia.
Cornhole, or Corn Toss, is a game in which players take turns pitching small bags filled with corn (or beans) at a raised platform with a hole in the far end. A corn bag in the hole scores 3 points, while one on the platform scores 1 point. Play continues until a player reaches the score of 21.
Other Names For The Game
Cornhole, Corn Toss, Baggo, Bean Bag Toss, Hillbilly Horseshoes
One web site out there that claims a Midwestern farmer named Jebediah Magillicutty started it in the late 1800s. Then there are others that believe the game originated on the West Side of Cincinnati. Then the battle turned to west side versus east side in cornhole. The game was picked up by college kids and began playing them during tailgate parties. This caught on at Cincinnati Bengals games and you could see hundreds of people playing this game before each football game. The more people that saw the game played the more the word spread. The game is very popular in Ohio, Kentucky, and Chicago. Cornhole clubs are starting to pop up all over the United States now. It is only a matter of time before cornhole is played by everyone all over the world.One reason this game is becoming so popular is that it can be played by all ages and genders. It is an equal playing field out there.
The game of cornhole uses two wooden boards and 8 bean bags. Yup that is all you need to play a game of cornhole.
Unfinished Cornhole Board
Cornhole Bags
There are hundreds of versions and variations on rules for cornhole. The ones posted below are only one way of playing the game, but you will find are the most common.
Cornhole Boards- Place on a flat surface 27 feet apart (front to front).
- The cornhole board surface should be 2' x 4'.
- A 6 hole, centered 9 from the back and 12 from either side
- There should be 8 bags, 4 bags of each color.
- Each bag should be 6 inches by 6 inches and have 1 pound of corn inserted into each bag.
- 3 points for a cornhole bag that goes through the hole.
- 1 point for a cornhole bag that is on the playing surface.
- 1 point for a cornhole bag that is hanging into the hole.
- 1 point for a cornhole bag that is hanging off the edge but not touching the ground.
- 0 points for a cornhole bag that is on the playing surface, but also touching the ground.
- 0 points for a cornhole bag that is hanging off the front edge and is resting on a cornhole bag that is on the ground. If you can remove the bag on the ground without the one on the board falling then a point is given.
- The team with the highest round score, adds the difference of the two scores to their game score.
- The team who wins the round is given honors to throw first in the next round.
- If both cornhole teams have the same round score then the game score
stays the same and honors stays with the team who had it the previous
round.
- A cornhole players foot goes past the foot foul line. (front of the cornhole board)
- A Player goes out of turn.
- The throw the foul occurs on is voided. If the bag is on the board remove it.
- In doubles play partners shall stand at opposite cornhole boards on the same side. In singles play both players will throw from the same board.
- Each cornhole team will have 4 bags of one color.
- All 8 cornhole bags begin at one end
- A coin flip or rock/paper/scissors determines witch cornhole team has honors in round one.
- The team who has honors will begin play by throwing a cornhole bag at the opposite cornhole board.
- A cornhole player may throw from anywhere behind the front of the cornhole board they are throwing from.
- Alternate throws between the two opponents until all 8 cornhole bags have been thrown.
- If a cornhole bag hits the ground then bounces up onto the board, remove that bag for it does not count.
- Count the points scored during the round. If no team has reached the 21 point mark start the next round until a team reaches 21. The team that scores the highest amount of points on the previous round will have honors.
With this game becoming more popular each day, hundreds of people are tryring to cash in and sell there own boards and bags. We will go over some important things to look for when purchasing a set.
Boards
The hole should be 6" and the board 2 feet in width by 4 feet in length. The front of the board should be 4 inches from the ground and the back of the board should be 12 inches from the ground. See the pictures below to get a visual for these dimensions. The boards are very large and takes a very large trunk or backseat to port these boards around.
Top Dimensions
Side Dimensions
Boards
The hole should be 6" and the board 2 feet in width by 4 feet in length. The front of the board should be 4 inches from the ground and the back of the board should be 12 inches from the ground. See the pictures below to get a visual for these dimensions. The boards are very large and takes a very large trunk or backseat to port these boards around.
Top Dimensions
Side Dimensions
Those dimensions are the regulation size that the majority of people play on. You will find others that make boards that are smaller than this. If you don't have the space to be able to transport these around then a smaller version will work best for you. The smaller versions work well for tailgating also due to the fact you are bringing a lot of other things with you besides just the boards.
One last thing you need to look for in the board is what it is made out of. Most cornhole boards are made out of wood. Make sure it is a solid piece of wood and not a mdf, veneer piece of wood. Veneer/mdf will not hold up very well at all under the condition this game is played in. There are also boards out there now that are made out of plastic. You do not get as good of play out of these. The one positive on the plastic boards is you can clean them up easier.
Bags
Cornhole bags are made from two fabric squares. Duck canvas will hold up the best and last you a lot longer than any other fabric out there. The bags should be 6" x 6" square. The bag should be filled with approximately 2 cups of corn feed with a weight between 14 and 16 ounces. The bags can be of any color, 4 of one color and 4 of another.
One thing to consider when buying bags are the logo bags. A lot of people love to get bags with a logo of their favorite sports team on the bag. A lot of the time the only way to get this to work is with a lesser quality cloth. It may look good, but it has a good chance of busting after one day of play. So the choice is up to you.
One last thing you need to look for in the board is what it is made out of. Most cornhole boards are made out of wood. Make sure it is a solid piece of wood and not a mdf, veneer piece of wood. Veneer/mdf will not hold up very well at all under the condition this game is played in. There are also boards out there now that are made out of plastic. You do not get as good of play out of these. The one positive on the plastic boards is you can clean them up easier.
Bags
Cornhole bags are made from two fabric squares. Duck canvas will hold up the best and last you a lot longer than any other fabric out there. The bags should be 6" x 6" square. The bag should be filled with approximately 2 cups of corn feed with a weight between 14 and 16 ounces. The bags can be of any color, 4 of one color and 4 of another.
One thing to consider when buying bags are the logo bags. A lot of people love to get bags with a logo of their favorite sports team on the bag. A lot of the time the only way to get this to work is with a lesser quality cloth. It may look good, but it has a good chance of busting after one day of play. So the choice is up to you.
Conclusion
Now that you know all about the game cornhole go out there and buy yourself a set and spread the game today!
Now that you know all about the game cornhole go out there and buy yourself a set and spread the game today!
Guide created: 04/13/06 (updated 07/31/09)
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