Cornhole Game Rules & Distance

Posted on May 09 2022

Cornhole Game Rules & Distance

 

Cornhole is a fun game that can be played and enjoyed with your friends, family, and company. Read this post to learn about cornhole rules such as distance scoring, and how to win. While you're here, check out our customizable and patriotic-themed cornhole boards.

The rules to cornhole are simple. Let's start with the teams. It requires at least two teams to play. You can either play a doubles game, with two players per team, or a singles game, with one player per team. Each team will have four bags to use during gameplay. Each bag is a regulation size 6in x 6in, 12oz duck cloth bag filled with 16oz or 1lb of corn.

Each team's bags are separate in design and color from the bags of the opposing team.  Next comes the boards. Cornhole boards are designed with a 24in by 48in scoring platform. Each has a 6in hole that is 6in from the top of the board.

Cornhole Game Distance

Place them on the ground, opposite each other, precisely 27 feet apart from the front of each board. The front edge of each board defines the FOUL LINE. This line extends left and right, in front of where the players are standing and which they must not cross during play. 

Now you are ready to play. You can use a coin toss to determine which team will go first. After the coin toss, players will move to their starting locations. When playing with doubles, the boards represent a starting side and a spectating side. The starting side will have one player from each team, mirroring the spectating side. The team members who decide to start will begin their round on the starting side. All eight bags begin on one side, with 4 per team. After the first team throws a bag, the players will alternate throwing bags until no bags remain, with each player trying to get a higher score.

Quick Rule Breakdown

  • Team members stand at opposite boards, facing each other
  • Eight bags start on one side
  • The loser of the coin toss, on the starting side, starts second
  • Players alternate throws until no bags remain
  • The score will be counted after the round ends.
  • The winning team of each round will be the first to throw in the next round.
  • If the event of a tie, the team that throws does not change

How is Scoring calculated? 

  • Three points are given if the bag makes it into the hole without fouling.
  • One point if the bag makes it onto the face of the board without fouling out.
  • No points are given if a bag:
    • Does not make it onto the board.
    • Touches the ground during gameplay
    • Touches a bag that is also touching the ground during gameplay
    • Is thrown by a player who crossed the foul line
    • Does not meet the regulation requirements listed above
    • Is thrown by a member of the opposing team to the bag's color

After calculating the points, be sure to also include the difference-of-points in the winning team's score.

  • This is important to the score, so these instructions will explain how to calculate the points per round.
  • If Team 1 scores 3 points by successfully landing three bags on the face of the board, without foul, and Team 2 successfully lands one bag on the face of the board, we can "cancel out" 1 bag from each team, and Team 1 ends the round with two points. 
  • If Team 2 scored 1 point on the face of the board and Team 1 scored 3 points for successfully getting one bag through the hole, then Team 1 would end the round with one point. 

How to win the game

  • With each side alternating rounds, the game continues until one team reaches 21 points.

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