If you go over 21 in Cornhole, you get busted, which means your score drops down to 15, and you have to work your way back up again. There is no set limit on the number of times this can happen to a team. However, you can decide on one with your opponents before a match starts.
This article will cover general cornhole rules, gameplay, and scoring regulations. You know what happens when you reach 21, but how do you get there?
Cornhole rules and gameplay
What does a cornhole match look like? Simply put, there are two teams with four corn bags on either side of a cornhole board. A second board is placed 27 feet away from them, and they face it. Their goal is simple: get the bags into the hole on the cornhole board.
When you play cornhole, you’ll realize that it is a very straightforward game and doesn’t have a big learning curve.
Cornhole scoring
You know what happens once you cross 21 points in Cornhole, but how do you even get there? This section covers everything about scoring, including how to do it and tips and tricks to maximize points.
How do you get points in Cornhole?
The closer you get your cornhole bags to the hole, the more points you score.
Getting a bag in the hole gets you 3 points. Getting a bag to land on the board and stay there without going in the hole gets you 1 point.
If your opponent accidentally (or intentionally) pushes your corn bag resting on the board into the hole, you get 3 points. This may or may not benefit you, depending on how close you are to the 21-point mark.
So in a game, if you get 2 bags in the hole and 1 on the board, you get 7 points (3 + 3 + 1).
Foul corn bags
There are a couple of situations where you don’t get points even if your bag goes in the hole or on the board.
First, if your bag lands on the board but slips off. This could happen when you toss it, or it could be your opponent’s doing. They could slide their bag up the board in a way that pushes yours off the board. Either way, you get no points.
Second, you don’t get points if your corn bag touches the ground before going on the board. You won’t get any points even if it goes into the hole.
Third, if you step outside the designated pitcher’s box when tossing your bag. In case you don’t know what a pitcher’s box is, it is a 3 ft wide and 4 ft long box marked along both cornhole boards where you stand and toss your bag.
How do you keep score in Cornhole?
You may be thinking that getting to 21 is pretty easy. If you get 3 points per bag in the hole, all you need is to do it 7 times which can happen in 2 rounds. However, that isn’t how scoring works. You have to use cancellation scoring.
At the end of an inning, the winning team’s score equals the difference in both teams’ points.
For instance, if Team A has 12 points and Team B has 7, Team A will win with a score of 5.
In the next round, their new score will be added to this score.
Tips to maximize scores
Here are four tips for when you just can’t seem to get your bags in the cornhole board hole:
- Aim for the board if you can’t get a bag in the hole
- Block off the hole
- Keep calm
- Keep an eye on the scoreboard
1. Aim for the board if you can’t get a bag in the hole
If you aren’t on top of your game and can’t get the bag in the hole, that’s perfectly fine. Just aim for the board instead! The hole is a 6-inch circle, while the board is 4ft x 2ft. It’s a whole lot bigger, so getting your bag to land on it is easier.
You still get points if you can get your bag on the board, so change your strategy.
2. Block off the hole
When you can’t get your bag in the hole, try and stop your opponents from doing so too. Slide your bag up in front of it to block their entry.
At this point, they either have to push your bag into the hole to get access or try an airmail shot, which is very risky and rarely works out.
3. Keep calm
Remember to stay calm! It’s alright if your bag isn’t going in the hole. You don’t need to worry too much. It’s a game and is only fun when you don’t tense up.
So take a deep breath and put a smile on your face. Do your best; if you still can’t win, that’s all right.
4. Keep an eye on the scoreboard
You don’t want to go over 21 points, so keep an eye on the scoreboard. If you’re at 19 or 20 points, it’s okay if you can’t get your bag in the hole because you don’t need it to. You just have to get your bag to land on the board and stay there.
Even if you’re at 18 points, if you can get 3 out of 4 bags to land on and stay on the board on your turn, you’ll win the game.
Conclusion
If you go over 21 points, you get busted, which means you’re pushed back down to 15 points and have to build up your score. Avoid this by keeping an eye on the scoreboard and remembering what you must do instead of blindly aiming for the cornhole board holes.
Each cornhole team has 4 bags and must make the most of them, whether that means aiming for the hole, aiming for the board, or aiming to push an opponent’s bag off the board.
