Official Cornhole Rules from Cornhole Worldwide

Cornhole is making waves in the world of sports. 2018’s American Cornhole League Pro Invitational was watched by an astounding half a million people — the most ever. Its ‘shot of the year,’ shared by Barstool Sports, got a whopping 1.2 million views in eight hours. Are you wondering how to play cornhole? Before you start, it’s important to understand the basic rules that guide gameplay and ensure fair competition.

If not, maybe you should be. Cody Henderson, the top-ranked player in the American Cornhole League (ACL), brought home almost $25,000 in prize money last year. It’s safe to say this game isn’t only for tailgating parties anymore. While it’s fun and competitive, cornhole isn’t just a game—it’s a social activity and a lifestyle that brings people together for community, competition, and entertainment.

Regardless of your intent, making money or just collecting some bragging rights, it’s a fun time. Cornhole is a popular lawn game where players take turns tossing bean bags at a raised board with a hole at the far end. Here are the rules of the game.

Quick Intro to Cornhole

Cornhole is a classic outdoor game that brings people together for friendly competition and fun. The objective is simple: players or teams take turns tossing cornhole bags onto raised cornhole boards, aiming to score points by landing bags on the board or sinking them through the hole. Whether you’re playing one-on-one or as part of a team, the first team to reach or exceed 21 points wins the game. Cornhole players alternate turns tossing bags from a designated pitcher’s box, carefully aiming at the opposing team’s board. The game is easy to learn but offers plenty of room for skill and strategy, making it a favorite at backyard gatherings, tailgates, and tournaments. No matter your age or experience, cornhole is a game that anyone can pick up and play.

Cornhole Game Equipment

The Cornhole Boards

• Should be placed on a flat surface 27 feet apart (front to front).
• The cornhole board surface should be 2′ x 4′.

The Cornhole Bags

• There should be 8 bags, 4 bags of each color. Consisting of 2 teams.
• Each bag should be 6 inches by 6 inches and have 1 pound of corn inserted into each cornhole bag.

There’s where that name comes from!

Cornhole Court Setup

Setting up a proper cornhole court ensures fair play and a great experience for all players. According to the American Cornhole Association, a standard court features two cornhole boards placed 27 feet apart, measured from the front edge of one board to the front edge of the opposite board. Each end of the court includes a pitcher’s box—an area 4 feet long by 3 feet wide—where players stand to throw. The foul line runs parallel to the front edge of the board, and players must remain behind this line during their final forward swing. For adult play, the foul line is at the front edge of the board, while junior play may use a closer line. The entire cornhole court should be set up on a level, rectangular surface, ideally at least 10-12 feet wide and 40-45 feet long, to allow enough space for movement and safe play. Following these guidelines helps ensure every game is played on a fair and consistent playing surface.

Rules and Guidelines for Cornhole Game Play

Cornhole can be played in two main formats: singles, where one player competes against another, and doubles, where two teams of two players each (Team A and Team B) compete against each other. In doubles, each player or team member stands at opposite ends of the court, in the designated pitcher’s boxes, and faces the opposing team to ensure fairness.

Board Placement & Throwing Rules:

A standard cornhole court layout consists of two boards placed 27 feet apart from front edge to front edge. The court should be a level rectangular area measuring 10-12 feet wide and a minimum of 40-45 feet long, including designated pitcher’s boxes and foul lines on each end. The arrangement of the two boards, pitcher’s boxes, and foul lines ensures proper gameplay and consistency.

2. Each player or team will have 4 bags of one color, while the opposing team or player uses bags of a different color.
3. All eight cornhole bags begin at one end. Players throw one bag at a time, alternating with the opposing team or player, until all eight bags have been thrown in the inning.
4. A coin toss determines which player or team has honors in round one, and may also be used to select lane assignments or choose opponents in tournament settings.
5. One of the partners on the team who has honors shall begin play by pitching a cornhole bag at the other board from their designated pitcher’s box. Players must pitch all four bags from within their designated pitcher’s box, with at least one foot completely inside the box at the time of release.
6. A cornhole player must remain within the pitcher’s box while pitching.
7. Game continues as players throw by alternating throws between the two opponent players or teams until all eight cornhole bags have been thrown. In doubles, teammates stand at opposite boards and alternate pitching bags.

Note: In singles play, both players throw from the same end of the court and then switch to the other board for the next inning. In doubles, teammates are positioned at opposite ends, each in the same lane as their partner, and alternate pitching from their designated pitcher’s boxes.

8. If a cornhole bag hits the ground then bounces up onto the board, that bag shall be taken off the playing surface.

After the bags are thrown:

After all bags are thrown, play continues into the next inning, where players resume pitching from their designated pitcher’s boxes, alternating ends as required by singles or doubles play.

9. The next round starts when the other cornhole player on the team, which has honors, throws their first cornhole bag.
10. The cornhole game continues until one player or team reaches 21 or more points.

Cornhole Game Scoring

Cornhole is played with two or four players, with each team attempting to toss cornhole bags into the hole on a cornhole board to score points. The first team to reach or exceed 21 points at the end of an inning is declared the winning team. The score shall be taken after all cornhole bags have been thrown for a round, and only the winning team (the team with the higher score) scores points in each round.

Points are given as follows:

• 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 (unless the cornhole bag on the ground can be removed without making the hanging bag fall to the ground, then one point is given).

For example, if Team A scores 6 points and Team B scores 4 points, Team A earns 2 points for that round. The scoring method used in cornhole is called cancellation scoring, where only one team can score points in each round, and the lower score is subtracted from the higher score.

The cornhole team with the highest round score adds the difference of the two scores to their game score. The cornhole 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 game of cornhole is typically played to 21 points, and if a player exceeds this score, their score resets to 15 points in some variations of the game. Any remaining bags after a round or penalty may be declared dead or forfeited, depending on the specific rules being followed.

Cornhole Game Fouls

1. A foul occurs when any of the following happens.
2. A cornhole player’s foot goes past the foot foul line, termed a foot foul. Any bag thrown during a foot foul is considered a dead bag and must be removed from play as an affected bag.
3. A player goes out of turn.
4. A foul bag is any bag that contacts the ground or another object before coming to rest on the board; foul bags are immediately declared dead bags and removed from play as affected bags.
5. A pitched bag is considered legally thrown only if it is delivered with an underhand motion and released before the player’s swing concludes. Any bag not properly pitched is a foul bag.
6. Players must not interfere with an opponent’s bag during play, as touching, moving, or otherwise affecting an opponent’s bag can result in a foul or penalty.
7. The player who caused the foul loses the throw when the foul occurred and the affected bags shall be removed or repositioned according to the rules.

Cornhole Game Variations and Setup

Cornhole is a flexible game with several popular variations to keep things interesting. In singles play, two players compete head-to-head, each tossing four bags per inning from the same board. Doubles is the most common format, with two teams of two players each; teammates stand at opposite boards and alternate pitching bags.

Some groups enjoy crew play, where larger teams rotate players each inning. The scoring system can also vary; cancellation scoring is widely used, where only one team scores per inning, as the higher score cancels out the lower score. This keeps the game competitive and strategic. Many players introduce house rules to add their own twist, such as adjusting the throwing distance or creating special challenges like the “Long Shot,” where the goal is to throw the farthest bag. Whether you stick to official rules or invent your own, cornhole is all about having fun and enjoying the game.

Get Out and Play

You may be thinking that the rules for Cornhole seem pretty simple and that’s because they are! For the most part, you can have your own fun with the game as long as you follow the general guidelines of the game. Some people like to play with a rule that a team must reach 21 points exactly in order to win and any team that goes over has their score reduced to 11 before play resumes. Some people like to play with a rule that you must have a lead of two or more points in order to win. Like we said, each person plays Cornhole in their own unique way and own set of “house rules,” but you should never be intimidated to join in on a game of Cornhole.

If you’re playing indoors or in a covered area, make sure the indoor court ceiling is at least 12 feet high to allow for safe and unobstructed gameplay. Also, note that a standard cornhole court consists of two boards placed 27 feet apart from front edge to front edge, with each board featuring a 6-inch diameter hole positioned 9 inches from the top.

You may not be the best player right from the get go, but luckily there are ways to throw off your opponent’s game and increase your chances of victory. Get out there and have some fun this summer!