Cornhole

Typical Cornhole Board

Cornhole, also called Corn Toss, is a game in which players take turns pitching small bags filled with corn (or sand or beans) at a raised platform with a hole in the far end. These platforms are usually plywood, sometimes plastic, and sometimes decorated. 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.

Regulation platforms measure 4 feet (1.2 m) × 2 ft (0.6 m)^[1], while standard tailgating platforms can measure 3 feet (0.9 m) × 2 ft (0.6 m), but can vary. The height of the back end is 12 inches (30.5 centimeters) from the ground while the height of the front end can vary from 2½ to 4 inches. The Cornhole platforms are set 33 feet from the inside edge of each hole (the 6 inch diameter holes are centered 9 inches in from the back) while the player can stand anywhere from no further than the back of the platform but not any closer than the front of the platform. Additionally, there must be 12 feet of vertical clearance above the playing area.

Singles or doubles play

Cornhole / Corn Toss can be played as doubles or singles. In doubles play two contestants are partners against another team of two contestants; in singles play a contestant competes against another contestant.

In doubles play, one member from each team pitches from one cornhole platform and the other members pitch from the other cornhole platform. In singles play, both contestants pitch from the same cornhole platform. All other rules are basically the same for doubles or singles play.

Innings or Frames

Every cornhole match is broken down into innings or frames of play. During each inning/frame every player throws 4 bags.

In singles play each player alternates throwing a bag until each player has thrown their 4 bags.

In doubles play each inning/frame is divided into a top half and a bottom half. In the top half two players from opposing teams alternate throwing a bag until each player has thrown their 4 bags. In the bottom half of the inning the remaining two players repeat this procedure until they too have thrown their 4 bags.

Value of the bag

Bag In-The-Hole or Cornhole - A bag in-the-hole (or Hole-In) is a bag which is thrown through the hole in the cornhole board or otherwise comes to rest inside the cornhole platform (knocked in by another player or otherwise falls in). A bag in-the-hole has a value of three points.
Bag On-The-Board or Woodie - A bag that is not in-the-hole but lands with any portion of the bag resting on the cornhole board is on-the-board. A bag on-the-board has a value of one point. For a bag to be on-the-board, it must not touch the ground or any other portion of the court prior to coming to rest on the cornhole board. If a bag touches the ground before coming to rest on the cornhole board, it is a foul and must be removed from the cornhole board prior to the continuation of play. If a bag rests on the board but is supported or touching the ground in any way it does not count. Note: in the "Sacks & Holes" version, a bag touching the ground is not removed before play continues, and a later bag whose momentum is stopped by a grounded bag may score points.
If a player gets all four bags in the hole, it is an automatic 21 points and the player wins (Optional Rule).
If the bag goes in without touching anything (swish) it is worth 5 points.(Optional Rule).
Reamer - if a bag lands on the edge of the hole, but stops without going in, its worth two points. It can become three points if another bag knocks it the rest of the way in the hole (Optional West Virginia Variant)

Delivery of bags during play

In doubles play, the first side of contestants alternate pitching bags until they have thrown all four bags, then the remaining contestants (pitching from the opposing cornhole board) continue to alternate in the same manner until all four bags are delivered and the inning/frame completed. Delivery in singles play is handled in the same manner (but from the same board) with each of the two contestants alternating their pitching of bags until all four bags have been pitched completing the inning/frame.
A contestant may deliver the bag from either the left or right pitchers box (see above) but, in any one inning/frame all bags must be delivered from the same pitcher’s box.
Each individual contestant shall deliver the bag within 20 seconds. The time shall start when the contestant steps onto the pitcher’s box with the intention of pitching.

Pitching rotation during the game

The contestant who scored in the preceding inning/frame shall pitch first in the next inning/frame. If neither pitcher scores, the contestant or team who pitched last in the preceding inning/frame shall pitch first in the next inning/frame.

Length of the game

The Cornhole / Corn Toss match shall be played until the first team of contestants reaches (or exceeds) 21 points at the completion of an inning/frame. However, many play by the rule which states if you go over 21 you go back to the amount you started with at the beginning of the last round. The winning team does not need to win by two or more points.

From the American Cornhole Organization's perspective:

The Cornhole / Corn Toss match shall be played until the first team of contestants reaches (or exceeds) 21 points at the completion of a frame. The winning team does not need to win by two or more points.

The Cornhole / Corn Toss match can never end in the middle of a frame. Thus, if a team that pitches first reaches or exceeds 21 points, the game can not end until the other side is allowed to pitch all of their bags and the inning is completed.

If one player of either teams becomes injured or quits then the other team can not have another substitution they automatically forfeit.

The JP Rule: The Cornhole / Corn Toss match shall be played until the first team of contestants reaches exactly 21 points at the completion of a frame. If the team exceeds 21 points, their score will be reset to 13 points.

Cancellation scoring

In cancellation scoring, bags in-the-hole (cornhole) and bags on-the-board (woodies) pitched by opponents during a frame cancel each other out. For example, if Player A scores four points and Player B scores three points, Player A receives one point for the frame. The first player/team to twenty-one wins.

References in the media

During his February 6, 2007, episode of The Colbert Report on Comedy Central, Stephen Colbert mentioned a Cornhole tournament that takes place each year in Ohio's 18th Congressional District, with the District and its Representative Zack Space being the focus of the segment. Colbert described the game as a "cross between horseshoes and sodomy," jokingly referring to the more widely known connotation of "cornhole"."Urban Dictionary". Retrieved 2008-06-18.