Cornhole is a game that’s been growing in popularity for the last few years. What once started out as an obscure game tailgaters played in parking lots outside sports stadiums has become a game played by anyone having people over their house.
There are very few supplies needed to play, the rules are simple, and it’s super fun. You can play it with a drink in your hand while you socialize or take it super serious as you establish a winning dynasty over your friends.
Despite becoming popular enough to be featured on ESPN and in magazines, there are still a number of questions we get asked all the time about cornhole. So let’s take a look at some of the most common questions so you can feel confident in joining the ranks of cornhole players across the US!
Q: How many players do you need to play cornhole?
A: Cornhole is played between two teams, and typically teams are either single players or pairs. If you’re playing singles, both teams/players will start at the same board. If you’re playing in pairs, you will stand across the playing field from your teammate. Each board with have a player from each team.
Q: Do you take turns throwing? Do I throw all my bags at once? How does it work?
A: You always take turns throwing bags. Team 1 throws a bag and then Team 2 throws a bag. You go back and forth, taking turns, until all bags have been thrown. This is true if you’re playing singles or in pairs.
Q: How does scoring work?
A: You get 1 point for every bag that lands on, and stays on, the face of the board. You get 3 points for every bag that falls through the hole. You get 0 points for bags that miss the board completely, fall or get knocked off the board, or bags that touch the ground.
The “tricky” part (and it’s not that tricky!) is that you use “cancellation scoring” to track total points per round. If Team 1 scores 5 points (1 bag in the hole, 2 bags on the face of the board) but Team 2 scores 1 point (1 bag on the face of the board) then Team 1 scores 4 points for that round. Only ONE team can score points in a round. If Team 1 scores 3 points and Team 2 also scores 3 points, then NO ONE gets any points that round.
Q: How do I win?
A: Games are typically played to 21 points. There are variations you can choose to play to mix things up however. Some people like to hit 21 points EXACTLY, and your score gets reset to 11 if you go OVER 21. Some people like to “win by 2,” so as long as you’re 2 or more points ahead of your opponent AND your score is over 21, you win. But most often the only requirement is to hit 21 points first, even if your opponents have 20 points (too bad!).
Q: Is there a right way to throw the bags?
A: Yes and no. You have to throw the bags underhand, but other than that, throw them however you like! Some people like to squish the bags into a ball and throw them like pitching a softball. Most serious players prefer to have the bags flat, and they throw them with a little spin, much like throwing a frisbee. The real key though is throw however you feel comfortable and however works for you. If you can score points throwing with your eyes closed and between your legs, go for it!
Q: Ok, this is fun, and I can see myself doing this with my friends at a BBQ. Are there really “pro” cornhole players?
A: Depends on how you define “pro” really, but there ARE players on TV and there are players who make money playing cornhole. Much like anything, if you are REALLY good at something then there are usually people who will want to watch you do that thing, and you can probably make money doing it. But like any other sport, the number of folks who “make it” are few and far between, so don’t quit your day job!
