Cornhole Rules: How to Play and Score Cornhole

These cornhole rules follow the standard regulations used by most leagues and tournaments, with notes on popular backyard house rules. Cornhole (also called bags or bean bag toss) is the easiest lawn game to set up at a cookout, tailgate or wedding: two slanted boards, eight bags, and a simple goal of landing your bags on the board or, better still, through the hole.

Quick rules

• Set the boards 27 feet apart, front edge to front edge.
• Each player throws 4 bags per round (an inning), alternating with the opponent.
• A bag through the hole scores 3 points. A bag resting on the board scores 1.
• Use cancellation scoring: only the difference between the two sides counts each inning.
• Throw from the pitcher's box beside the board, without stepping past the front of the board.
• First side to reach 21 points at the end of an inning wins.

What you need

• Two boards: 2 feet by 4 feet each, with a 6 inch hole centered 9 inches from the top. The front edge stands 2.5 to 4 inches off the ground and the back about 12 inches high.
• Eight bags: four of one color and four of another. Regulation bags are 6 by 6 inches and weigh 15 to 16 ounces.
• A tape measure and a flat, open area about 40 feet long and 10 feet wide.

Court setup

1. Lay the boards facing each other on level ground.
2. Measure 27 feet from the front edge of one board to the front edge of the other. That gives about 33 feet from hole to hole.
3. For kids or casual play, shorten the distance to 21 feet.
4. Line the boards up so the holes are directly opposite each other.
5. Each board has two pitcher's boxes, one on each side, about 4 feet long (the length of the board) and 3 feet wide. Players stand in these boxes to throw.
6. The front edge of the board, extended sideways, is the foul line.

How to play

1. Teams and positions

• Singles: both players stand at the same board, in opposite pitcher's boxes, and throw at the far board. After each inning they walk to the other end.
• Doubles: partners stand at opposite boards. One player from each team throws from each end, so you always face the same opponent.

2. Throwing an inning

1. Flip a coin to decide who throws first.
2. Players alternate throws until each has thrown all 4 bags. That is one inning (sometimes called a frame or round).
3. Throw underhand, with your feet in your pitcher's box and behind the foul line.
4. You must throw within about 20 seconds of your turn starting.

3. Which bags count

• A bag that falls through the hole, or is knocked in by another bag, is in the hole.
• A bag that comes to rest on the board surface, even if it hangs over an edge, is on the board.
• A bag that touches the ground before reaching the board, or ends up touching both the ground and the board, is foul and must be removed before the next throw.

4. Who throws first next

The side that scored in the previous inning throws first in the next one. If neither side scored, the side that threw first last time throws first again.

Scoring

How to keep score in cornhole: official play uses cancellation scoring. At the end of each inning, add each side's points, subtract the smaller total from the larger, and only the side with more points scores the difference. For example, if red scores 7 (two in the hole and one on the board) and blue scores 4 (one in the hole and one on the board), red scores 3 for that inning and blue scores 0. A score tower or simple scoreboard keeps the running totals.

How to win

The first side to reach or pass 21 points at the end of an inning wins. Under standard rules you do not need exactly 21. A game can also be played to a set number of innings, with the higher score winning.

Fouls

• Stepping on or past the foul line while throwing. The bag is removed.
• Throwing from outside your pitcher's box, or from the wrong box.
• A bag that hits the ground first and bounces onto the board. It is removed.
• Removing bags from the board before the inning is scored, or delaying the game.

Variations and house rules

• Bust rule (cornhole rules over 21): a popular backyard rule says you must hit exactly 21. If your score goes over, it drops back to 15 (some groups use 11 or 13). It is not part of official rules.
• Straight scoring: both sides keep every point they score each inning, with no cancellation. Easier for kids.
• Skunk: a game ends early if one side leads 11 to 0 (or 7 to 0).
• Four in the hole: some groups award an instant win for putting all 4 bags in the hole in one inning.

Tips and strategy

• Use a smooth, flat spin so the bag lands flat and slides rather than flipping.
• Aim to land the bag about a foot below the hole and let it slide up.
• Learn the blocker: a bag just in front of the hole makes it harder for your opponent to slide in.
• Bag speed matters. Slower bags grip the board, faster bags slide. If your bags keep sliding off, try a slower set or a softer throw.

House rules to agree first

• 27 feet or 21 feet between boards.
• Cancellation or straight scoring.
• Whether the bust rule or skunk rule is in play.

Planning a backyard party? Pair cornhole with ladder toss, horseshoes, bocce and kubb, and see our full list of outdoor games. The team generator makes picking doubles teams easy.