Official Cornhole Rules and Regulations
- We start off the cornhole rules with the the boards. You need to use regulation boards that fit the specs below
- Two Cornhole Board Platforms approximately 24″ x 48″ with a 6″ diameter hole, centered 9″ from top of board and centered 12″ from each side edge
- The front of the board is 3″to 4″ from the ground to the top of the playing surface.
- The back of the board is 12″ from the ground to the top of the playing surface.
- 8 Bags , 4 each of two different colors. Each bag is made from two fabric squares with double-stitched seaming. The bags should be made from a durable fabric like canvas, twill, or synthetic suede. Each bag measures roughly 6″ by 6″ and weighs 15 to 16 ounces.
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Cornhole Court Layout
- Cornhole Boards: Boards are positioned 27′ from the front edge to front edge of the board.
- Cornhole Pitchers Boxes: A designated pitchers box is a 4′ x 3′ area at each end of the court and on both sides of each board; (4) boxes in all.
- Cornhole Foul Lines: The front edge of the cornhole board is the foul line.
Cornhole Rules: The Basics
- The cornhole rules for competitive play, place a set of cornhole boards 27 feet apart from front edge to front edge. Beginners, juniors and recreational players may want to start at a shorter distance. We recommend decreasing the distance in three foot increments to find a comfortable beginning playing distance
- There are 4 bags per set. 2 sets of different colors are needed to play singles or doubles
- The front of the board represents the foul line. Players may not step in front of the board or behind the board. Players must remain within three feet of their side of the board
Cornhole Rules: Scoring
- Bag on Board = 1 point
- Bag through Hole = 3 points
- Bags that hit the ground prior to landing on the board or going into the hole do not count
- Any bag hanging off the board and touching the ground does not count
- Any bag hanging in the hole only counts as 1 point
- Cancellation scoring is used at the end of each round. After all 8 bags have been thrown; the score is calculated based on the bags that remain on the board and have gone in the hole. If Team A has 4 points and Team B has 3 points, Team A will get 1 point
- A game is played to 21+. There is no win by 2 or bust rule for going over 21
Cornhole Rules: Gameplay
- To see who throws first, either a coin toss or bag spin takes place. The player that wins, choses the initial side of board to throw from OR whether to throw first
- Players will alternate throwing their 4 bags down to the board on the other end
- Throwing out of turn or outside the throwing box is a foul. The bag that was thrown when the foul occurred does not count and is immediately removed from play.
- In Singles, once the first round is completed, players will walk down to score the round, stay on the same side and then throw back for the next round. This means that if Player A throws down from the right side of the board in the first round, Player A will be throwing back from the left side of the board in the second round
- In Doubles, partners stand on the opposite side from each other. This means that one player from Team A will throw from the right side of the board on one end and the partner will be throwing from the left side of the board on the other end
These cornhole rules serve as a basic guideline and mirror how we run our tournaments. There are many variations that are played among friends and family. If you are unsure about the rules of a recreational game or tournament, make sure you ask the person in charge before you start playing.
If you have any questions, issues with playing conditions or concerned about equipment, raise it prior to start playing. Nothing can be done after the fact. BYOB Policy
Frequently Asked Questions
How far apart are the boards in cornhole?
Boards should be measured at 27 feet from front edge to front edge of the boards.
How do you score in cornhole?
Scoring is quite simple. The player gets 1 point for each bag that is on the board and 3 points for each bag that is in the hole. Cancellation scoring is used at the end of each round. After all 8 bags have been thrown; the score is calculated based on the bags that remain on the board and have gone in the hole. If Team A has 4 points and Team B has 3 points, Team A will get 1 point. Only one team can score each round.
Who throws first in cornhole?
To see who goes first, just flip a coin or spin a bag and whichever direct the seam is facing, that person/team will throw first.
Cornhole Bag Policy
The ACL has established the parameters for what is an acceptable competitive cornhole bag. The ACL approves and promotes Bag Manufacturers that can be used at ACL National Events. Players will only be able to play with bags on this list that are stamped with the Bag Manufacturer Logo and remain within specs. Approved bags will be available for players to use if they do not have approved bags. At this time, the ACL does do not require Regional and Local Directors to strictly enforce this policy. Check with a specific Director for Regional and Local details.
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