Cornhole matches are played with two sets of four bean bags. So that’s eight in total. Each set of bags must be distinguishable from the other, usually by color.
This article will explore Cornhole equipment, cornhole rules, court layout, and some important rules of gameplay. You need to know these facts to play cornhole correctly, so keep reading!
General Game Play Rules
First, let’s look at a typical cornhole game, what it looks like, and the rules you need to follow.
There are 8 cornhole bags and 2 cornhole boards on opposite sides of the playing field.
A cornhole match is separated into innings. Each player or team throws all four of their bags during each inning. After all 8 bags are thrown, all players walk to the opposite board to tally the winning team’s score.
Any foul bag is not considered.
Then players turn around and stand on the side of the board to throw their bags in the same manner.
In all formats (singles, doubles, and crew), the pitcher must throw their bag within 20 seconds.
Scoring
To score points, the bags must touch the cornhole board they’re being thrown at or fall through the hole. If the ball goes in the hole, you score three points. A bag that lands on the board and stays on it gets 1 point.
If you can push that bag in using another throw, you will get an additional 3 points.
At the end of an inning, you have to calculate the difference between the total score of both teams. If team A has 12 points and team B has 10 points, team A will win and have a total score of 2 points.
You continue playing till all the innings are over and one team wins.
Equipment #1: Cornhole Bags
A typical game of cornhole has 2 sets of 4 bags each. The bags are filled with 2 cups of corn or resin pellets.
Size and Material
Every bag is a 6-inch by 6-inch cube and weighs between 14 and 16 ounces. The American Cornhole League’s rules say you should use double-seamed fabric bags.
You’ll often find that the bags are dual-sided. Each side uses a different material which, of course, affects grip. Typically, people prefer faster bags, but it’s completely up to you.
Filling
Any material that maintains a consistent weight and shape over many throws can be used to fill the bags. So you’ll likely find a wide variety of materials being used. No one material is objectively better than the other.
Color
What is important is that both sets of bags are easily distinguishable. Get differently colored bags or contrasting designs. For instance, one set can be a bold red while the other can be a deep blue with white stars.
Choosing Your Cornhole Bags
Here are 3 factors you should consider when buying your cornhole bags:
- Hand Grip
- Reaction Speed On Board
- Design
Let’s take a closer look at each factor.
1. Hand Grip
The material your cornhole bags are made with affects their grip. How well you can hold onto the bag and how well they grab onto the board are impacted. So you should look at the specific blends used.
The best way to do this is to inspect the bags in game equipment stores and toss them once. You don’t want bags that will just slip out of your hands. You won’t be able to aim properly with them.
2. Reaction Speed On Board
Another factor to consider is how fast your bags react on the cornhole board. This is impacted by the material the cornhole bags are made with.
If they have good grip, they will react slowly. However, if they have poor grip, they will react quickly. Here are 3 factors you should consider:
- Weather conditions
Faster bags are good for humid conditions when the conditions are such that the bags won’t be able to slip much on their own. On the other hand, slow bags are good for areas with a lot of rain or precipitation where the bags will slip a lot anyway.
- Personal preferences
With professional cornhole players, personal preference comes into the mix.
- Throwing technique
Players with a lower, faster throw use more rotation. They will want a slower bag. On the other hand, players with higher, slower throws use less rotation and will want a faster bag.
3. Design
The last factor to consider is design. This doesn’t impact gameplay, but it makes the game more fun.
If you’re playing with a team, you can match your bags with your team uniform for added team spirit. Look into whether you can get custom cornhole bags made to pump up team players.
Picking a color or design you like makes you feel good and excited about playing cornhole. A good mood and a smile on your face will likely motivate you to play better. So look at designs you like and will enjoy playing with.
Equipment #2: Cornhole Boards
In addition to bags, you need two boards. The area around the boards is known as the pitcher’s box. Any throws made when the player steps beyond the foul line do not count and can’t add to the team’s points.
Size and Shape
Each board is 2 feet by 4 feet and has a hole at one end. This is a circle with a 6-inch diameter. The end with the hole is elevated 12 inches above the ground.
Board Placement
Both boards are placed between 27 and 33 feet apart. If you aren’t playing competitively, the boards may be placed closer together to save space.
This distance is also reduced when kids play to make it easier.
Conclusion
There isn’t much to the number of cornhole bags used in a game. That’s fixed at four bags per team. The real trick is finding the right bags made with the ideal material, grip, and design.
The bean bag toss is a bit complicated. There are a lot of factors to consider since you’re tossing your cornhole bag on the same board as your opponent.
The winning team’s score is impacted by every single toss made in any given round.
